Estranged
by Sewer Slider
Summary: Second in the Destiny Trilogy. AU. The mutants have escaped the Foot Clan but can they really overcome their pasts and make a new life? Complete!
1. Prologue

**Author Note: **Well here it is, later than I intended it to be up but I've been having internet woes.. My internet provider is sick of the sound of my voice by now!

This is the sequel to 'Choosing Destiny', my AU fic. This first part is the prologue and very very short. When I get into the chapters, they will be much longer (ya all know I can talk a LOT) and the first might even be up tonight. I have to go over it before I do.

I'm rambling again. OK, enjoy!

&&&&

Karai kicked the target viciously, still angered by the recent revelations she had received from New York. Someone she had thought of as valuable ally, trusted confidante, close friend – and he had betrayed her. Betrayed the Foot.

Leonardo had sided with his brothers against the Foot, left the organisation. After everything they had done for him, he had chosen to align himself with his treacherous brothers.

_The ungrateful whelp_ she thought as she took out her fury on the targets gathered around her private dojo. Just one of the many perks of being the leader of this branch of the Foot clan, but right then she would have traded it all to have been back in New York, searching out those who had shown such insolence.

There had been those who had defected from the Foot over the years, usually found swiftly and dealt with mercilessly. None of those had ever made Karai quite as angry as the four Turtles leaving had done. Particularly Leonardo, whom she had regarded as one of her closest allies during her time in New York. They had trained together, held conversations about their hopes for the future – all of which involved the Foot, she remembered sourly – and discussed how strongly their allegiance to the Foot was. Obviously, Leonardo had been lying. He had deceived her, after she had trusted him.

The other three, they meant little to her, although the five of them had grown up together. She found Michelangelo obnoxious and annoying beyond belief. Raphael was bad tempered and crude. And Donatello was just incomprehensible. She hadn't felt close to them and their leaving only made her angry as a betrayal of the Foot. But Leonardo taking their side – it hurt her on a more personal level.

A leaping kick beheaded one of the practice dummies. Her Master had hurt her too, by refusing her suggestion that she return to America to join the search for the renegades. He insisted they would not be hard to find and that this was one score he would like to settle himself. She had attempted to argue, but he was her Sensei and had reminded her coldly of the fact, forcing her to acquise to his wishes.

_And if he can't find them?_

She smiled with satisfaction. If that was the case, Saki would _have_ to allow her to return. She was the one person in the Foot who knew Leonardo best and she was the one with the best ideas about where he would take his brothers. And she hoped that he wouldn't find them.

She wanted to be the one to bring the Turtles down.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Foot soldiers were nervous, Saki could tell. He wasn't shouting, wasn't berating their failure and he knew that made them even more nervous. He should have been in a towering fury but instead he had retreated to his private meditation chamber and was deep in thought.

How could he have thought the situation was under control? Obviously he had underestimated Michelangelo. He had honestly believed that the Turtle had nothing more to tell them, that him telling them under interrogation that he had not told his brothers about the mutant rat he had found captive had to be the truth. He had not thought Michelangelo capable of deceit under torture.

He had been wrong.

The other three had risked everything to free their brother and managed to hide their intentions from him until it was too late, even going out on a Foot mission that same evening. Then somehow, they had brought down security functions, escaped the Foot and freed the rat as well as his erstwhile adopted son.

Keeping the rat alive had been a mistake, Saki could see it now. At the time he had enjoyed gloating to the rat about how he was integrating the Turtles into the Foot, claiming them as his own. And knowing that the rat had been the same one that attacked Hun all those years ago, that it knew who he was, was sweetest of all. The failure with Hamato Yoshi still rankled. The Guardian had given them nothing at all, no matter what the Foot subjected him to. Having the rat around had been almost as good as having Yoshi locked away instead, to eliminate that distasteful memory with the grim satisfaction of having the mans mutated and intelligent companion in his custody.

Not anymore. When the security system had been overcome with a virus – Donatello, it had to be, none of the others were intelligent enough to bypass the encryption codes – the rat had taken the opportunity to break out and rather than running, had found the Turtles and aided in their escape. Another failure, adding salt into the wound of the earlier one.

Saki did _not_ like to lose. Certainly not twice. The rat's master had robbed him of his answers, the rat's escape had robbed him of his vengeance, the rat's words had robbed him of his sons.

The rat was going to _pay_. As were his treacherous former Foot ninja. No one crossed Oruku Saki and lived to tell. No one.


	2. Estranged

Splinter watched the way in which his sons interacted from under a furrowed brow. It had been three days since their escape from the Foot, time which they had used to heal, recuperating in April O'Neil's apartment. She had been a gracious host considering that until Donatello had gone to her and asked for her help, she had no idea that he was not human. Since then, he could tell that her curiousity about them made her want to ask questions – but the attitude of the Turtles discouraged her.

Leonardo was still the leader, as had been evidenced by his solicitousness even when they were mere toddlers and had carried over into their current life. Not that the other three seemed to appreciate it much. He had tried once or twice to engage the other three into a discussion about the future and what they would do, but both Donatello and Michelangelo seemed reluctant to talk about it, claiming that it was alright for them to give time to the issue. Raphael's visions of the future were directly at odds with Leonardo's, not dwelling much on where they would live and how they would find it so much as when they were going to get revenge on the Foot.

Raphael. Even as a child he would act before thinking. He clearly resented being confined to the apartment and the thought that they had been forced to flee the fight with the Foot was weighing on his mind. What was needed at that moment was patience and forethought and Raphael was displaying neither. Splinter worried that should the tensions between his sons boil over, Raphael would be the one to go over the top, maybe even leave the building. And the Foot were out there searching for them.

And then there was Michelangelo. Splinter tried not to sigh as he thought of his son when they lived in the sewer. Michelangelo had been the happiest Turtle, the one who liked to play tricks on his brothers and sometimes his father too, always laughing at something. But since the escape from Foot headquarters, Splinter could see little of that child in evidence. Perhaps it was because of the injuries sustained before his brothers could free him, but Michelangelo seemed withdrawn, quiet, almost depressed. He could on rare occaions be charming, mostly when April was around, even making the occasional joke, but for the most part he remained sombre.

Of the four, Donatello seemed happiest with the way things were. He and April had a lot in common and they spent much time engaged in conversations about binary systems and electronic enhancers and other things that Splinter couldn't even begin to guess at. By the blank looks the others gave the pair, it seemed they didn't either. Maybe it was a change for Donatello to have someone to discuss his interests with. Certainly as a youngster he had stood out from his brothers in that sense, more interested in the way his meagre toys worked than in playing with them.

It had not escaped Splinter's attention that the four were not close. Although it was Michelangelo who had originally confided in one of his brothers, he seemed to be the most distant of the four. He had been through a lot prior to their escape and Splinter just had to hope that his current state of mind was due to the stresses of his interrogation and not something that had been going on unnoticed for any length of time. On the first night they had arrived at the apartment, Leonardo and Raphael had seemed to have an understanding, but that was being eroded by Leonardo's concerns and Raphael's frustration. The bickering they fell into had the air of being something of a habit and neither Michelangelo or Donatello seemed surprsed when they did. Only Donatello seemed to never snipe or show irritation with the others but nor was he especially communicative with them either, preferring to work on his electronics or at April's computer.

And as for the way they treated the rat – Splinter couldn't help a sigh when he thought of it. While he had not expected them to become the family they had once been, their outright distrust still wounded him. Leonardo veered between reluctant acceptance and wary concern. Raphael was often downright hostile. Donatello was cautious, wanting to believe but just not knowing how to bring himself to. And Michelangelo, in spite of being the only one of them to believe his tale right from the start, seemed to have no interest in discovering more about their lives before the Foot or in getting to know Splinter.

Then again, Michelangelo was showing little interest in anything.

Splinter decided to meditate for a time. Maybe an idea of what to do about the situation would come to him. All he knew was that dwelling on the matters so far had resolved nothing.

&&&&&&&&&&

"Don?"

Donnie looked up from the laptop and saw Leo stood behind him. "What's up?"

"Any ideas about a new place to live?"

"Nope." Don closed the progrramme he was running and turned his attention to his brother. "We used to live in the sewers before the Foot found us."

"But isn't that a bad idea? They found us there once, what if they do it again?"

"They're pretty big sewers Leo. And when Splinter said we used to live down there, I hacked into the city computer and found the blueprints – or rather, some of the blueprints. The sewer system is a maze and there's disused subway tunnels and who knows what. The maps are so inadaquate, it'd take months to search them all. And I could rig up some security, maybe some motion sensors, give us an early warning if any of the Foot get too close."

Leo nodded slowly. "It could work for the moment at least. We can't stay here much longer and we need to do something. April's been great, but the longer we stay here, the more danger we put her in."

"We can begin looking tomorrow – well, you, me and Raph. Mikey should stay here. He's not up to going with us yet."

"Yeah," said Leo. "Does he seem – distracted to you?"

Don shrugged. "A little. But he did get pretty beat up, our whole lives got turned upside-down in the last few days and this is the longest any of us have spent in each others company and no one elses in the last few years. It's a big change. He'll get over it. I'd worry more about what Raph's gonna say about finding a place."

"He'll be glad to get out for a few hours," said Leo. "He's feeling a little cooped up is all."

Don gave a smirk. "So when we go through the sewers, you two won't start arguing about when what we should be doing about the Foot, or Splinter?"

Leo tried to look offended, but it was a losing battle."He just won't stop complaining!"

"He'll get over it," said Don dismissively. "Speaking of Raph and Mikey, what are they doing?"

"Raph's helping April move some things in the antique shop. And Mikey's raiding the fridge. Splinter's meditating on the roof, he can't seem to get enough of the fresh air. This place is too small, it took hours just to get everyone else out of the way for a few minutes."

"About Splinter," said Don. "What exactly are we planning to do about him? If we find a place to hide out, are we taking him there?"

"Well we can't leave him here."

Don laughed at the thought. "April would love that."

"We have to take him with us," said Leo soberly. "But we _also_ need to keep an eye on him. I mean, it's a bit – weird. He looked after us and we barely even remeber him. I don't know how to react around him."

"Me either," admitted Donnie. "And I thought Mikey would be begging him to tell us about our lives before the Foot, but he hasn't seemed to bother."

"He hasn't bothered about anything that isn't the TV or the fridge," said Leo. "Maybe he'll snap out of it when we find a place to go."

Mikey chose that moment to wander back in from the kitchen, popcorn in hand. Leo and Don stopped their conversation and glanced up at him. Mikey didn't seem to notice the sudden lull in talks, wandering slowly over to the couch and dropping into it, injuries obviously still bothering him.

"Hey, Mikey," said Leo with forced cheer. "We're going to find somewhere new to hide out tomorrow."

"Cool," replied Mikey in a flat voice.

"We thought you should stay here though, no point in slowing down your recovery," added Donnie.

"Whatever." Mikey grabbed the remote control and raised the voume on the TV.

"Hey bro, what's bugging you?" asked Leo, deciding it couldn't hurt to tackle the issue head-on. Mikey had never been one to bottle up his emotions and never gave monosylabic answers when he could talk for half an hour instead. And normally he would never be unconcerned about being left behind while the other three were out.

"Nothing."

"Mike. . ."

"I'm watching this."

Don and Leo exchanged glances. Leo opened his mouth to add something else – what it might have been he wasn't sure – but sudden loud voices were heard on the stairs and a moment later April threw open the door and stormed in, followed closely by Raph and Casey.

"I don't even know what you're doing around here!"

"That makes two of us, toots!"

"What did you just call me?"

Raph paused near the computer, a smirk on his face. "That Casey is always askin for trouble."

"Can't keep his mouth shut," agreed Donnie, slightly too happy about the argument.

Grinning, Leo glanced over to Mikey, convinced he would be laughing at the scene and adding in some comments or telling the humans to lighten up – but the smile died when he realised Mikey wasn't taking any notice or events at all. He hadn't even take his eyes off the television.

Leo narrowed his eyes and glanced back at Don, who was smiling slightly as April and Casey exchanged insults, then at Raph, who had lost his amused expression and was glaring at the window longingly.

_What happened with us and the Foot hasn't changed anything,_ he thought bitterly. _We're still too far apart. I don't know what they're thinking and they don't tell me anything. We need to start trusting each other again, we need to become a family. . ._

_But how?_

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Before sunrise the next morning, Don, Raph and Leo were out of the window, finding a manhole and going into the sewer. It wasn't like they could find a place above ground and Donnie had a good point about the miles of sewers and lack of blueprints. It was possible that Shredder would think them too smart to hide back in the sewers again.

_This doesn't feel smart,_ thought Leo as they trailed through the dirty tunnels. _But what other choice do we have?_

"This is just gross," growled Raph. "There are probably roaches down here, ever think of that?"

"We'll protect you Raph," smirked Donnie.

"Shut up."

"Quiet," snapped Leo. "There may still be Foot down here looking for us. Don, what do the prints say?"

Donnie checked his computer printouts. "We're officially off the map."

"Great," muttered Raph. "Giant _mutant_ roaches!"

"Be _quiet _Raph!" hissed Leo.

"Why don't _you_ be quiet, Fearless Leader?" Raph glared at Leo. "We should be dealing with the Foot ninja, you kow they'll be looking for us after what happened to Shredder. . ."

"I _know_!" yelled Leo, surprising his brothers. "I stabbed him in the _back_! I _know_ they want revenge! But we're not strong enough yet, we don't have a plan and we can't jeapordise Mikey while he's still hurt!"

"_We have to do something_!" yelled Raph. "Or don't you _care_ what they did to Mikey? To _all_ of us?"

"At least _I'm_ doing something to help us, finding us a home, not pissing and moaning about how we should think about revenge before we do anything about the health of our brother. . ."

"_Who the hell ya think I'm thinking of?_"

_Uh-oh, _thought Don, knowing the signs of a serious argument. There wasn't even much chance of one of them storming off and if they did, it was inadvisable. He wished Mikey was there – he was the one who could diffuse their arguments. Not always, but sometimes.

"Uh, guys. . ."

"You're thinking of _yourself _and you're stupid _pride_ as usual!" yelled Leo.

"_Screw you Leo_!"

Raph dived at Leo and the pair grappled for a moment. Don grimaced, wondering what to do, but before he could decide there was a creaking noise and in a shower of plaster and concrete, the two turtles vanished from sight.

Eyes wide, Don knelt near the hole left by the two falling through the floor. "Leo! Raph! Are you OK? _Leo! Raph_!"

There were a couple of groans from below before Leo's voice came floating up. "We're fine Don!"

"And you need to check this place out!" added Raph, his voice sounding awed.

Scowling, Don calculated the perimetre of the hole, the probable depth, the rate of descent. . .

"Stop thinking about it Don – we know that's what ya doing! It's not far, just jump!"

With a sigh, Donnie jumped down the hole and it took only seconds before he reached the bottom. Bracing himself against the landing, Don took in his surroundings. His expression changed from resignition to wonder.

"Wow. . ."

There was a huge chamber previously closed off from the tunnel above, electricity already provided and amazingly still connected. It was covered by strange markings and shards of glass or crysal covered the floor. There was a bridge covering water from the sewer or river at one point, huge amounts of room and best of all, other chambers separate from the others that could serve as bedrooms or other areas.

"This is so _cool_!" yelled Don in delight.

"Sure is," agreed Raph, surprising Leo slightly with his immediate acceptance of the place as their new home.

"So we're agreed," said Leo, delighted that they could all agree on something for once. "We get Mikey and Splinter and bring them back here."

Raph's face immediately dropped into a scowl. "I don't think we should bring Splinter."

"We can't leave him at April's," said Don.

"He comes with us," said Leo determinedly. "He's not shown us we can't trust him – if it wasn't for him, we may never have escaped for Shredder. So for now, he has our trust."

"He puts one foot wrong. . . " Raph put a hand on his sun and moon daggers.

"We'll be watching him," said Leo. "Where are we exactly?"

"Corner of Eastman and Laird," said Don, examining the map. "I think."

"Right." Leo paced the room, trying to avoid the crystal shards. "Here's the plan. We've got power but not much else. We go get Mikey and Splinter and then a couple of us can go to the junkyard and see what we can salvage."

Don looked indignant. "Salvage!"

"Yes, salvage!" Leo glared at Don's look of horror. "From now on, we don't have access to the Foot technology or cash or anything like that! We have no money, no way of going to buy things – we _need _you to do what you can."

Don took a deep breath. "I guess I knew this was on the cards. Fine, I can see what I can save from the junkyard for down here."

"Right," said Raph, already looking to the future, distracted from his plans of vengeance. "Let's get Mikey and set up home."

"And Splinter," added Leo.

"And Splinter," growled Raph, momentary feeling of good humour already extringuished.

&&&&&&&&&&&

"You'll love it Mikey," said Raph with forced enthusiasm. His brothers continued sullen demeanour had begun to get to him. The five mutants had left April's apartment under cover of darkness with only a few things that the redhead insisted they take, mostly food and blankets. She had also given them her phone number, but Donnie was keeping hold of that himself.

"Sure," replied Mikey listlessly, beginning to favour his right leg. It was quite far from April's apartment and the turtle had not yet had suitable chance to heal up fully.

"I bet Donnie could rig us up a TV," continued Raph. "Maybe even cable."

"Yeah," said Mikey, interest in cable at an all-time low.

Raph sighed. "Come on bro, aren't ya even a little excited about the new place?"

Mikey just shrugged and continued through the sewers, gaze on the floor. Raph paused for a moment, letting his brother go on ahead – and then there was a noise up ahead, something they didn't recognise. Instinctively, Raph pulled out his sun and moon daggers, brandishing them menacingly as he waited for the unseen threat. Leo pulled out his double-bladed swords and Don touched his nagitana for reassurance. Even Splinter raised his walking stick, ready for attack.

"False alarm guys," said Don, laughing at his own nervous reaction. "Just water going through a pipe. Guess we'll have to get used to it."

Raphael barely noticed the words as he replaced his sun and moon daggers, his attention on Mikey. At the noise, Mikey had dropped his hands to his belt to pull out his chigiriki, and paused when he realised they weren't there. Seeing the spark of the old Michelangelo had given Raph hope for a moment but the way he slumped his shoulders after Don called the false alarm told Raph everything he needed to know.

_He feels like a failure..._

It made sense. Mikey had been the one imprisoned by the Shredder by acting rashly, the one Shredder had tried to hold as hostage to prevent them escaping, the one who had to be rescued. Something like that would certainly make Raph feel miserable. And Mikey had lost his weapons, taken from him by the Shredder.

Maybe if Mikey was able to feel useful again, like he wasn't a failure, then maybe he would snap out of the funk he was in and get back to his old self. It couldn't hurt to try.

"This is it!" Leo's voice cut through Raph's train of thought as they entered what was to become their new home. In spite of the thick dust and cobwebs, it was obvious that this space could be something special.

Michelangelo turned in a full circle, eyes wide, misery temporarily forgotten. "This is _beyond awesome_!"

Running into the lair, unmindful of his injuries, he climbed a pillar and pointed into one of the chambers. "This room here – mine!"

Don had entered, intending to put his bag of tools liberated from April into one of the chambers below, when Mikey almost landed on him. "And where you're standing – also mine!"

As Mikey headed off to explore, the other three turtles exchanged grins.Don ditched the tools and walked back to his brothers. "That's the Mikey we know and love."

"I was beginning to think he'd never start acting like himself again," added Leo.

"I dunno that he's back to normal now," said Raph. "But it's a start."

Exchanging high threes, the brothers decided to chase off after Mikey before he could claim everything in the new living place for himself. They had all forgotten Splinter, who had remained silent as he listened to the exchange. Now he allowed himself to smile as he watched the turtles getting over-excited about their new home, out of the reach of the Foot. The place where they would embark upon their new lives.

"It is good to be home," he commented to no one in particular and leant on his walking stick as he entered to make an inspection of his own.


	3. Scars

**Author Note:** The next few chapters are gonna focus mostly on one turtle in each and how they're coping - or not - with their new situation. This chapter, Mikey. Then Raph. Probably Donnie after that. The story will be advancing, it's just I wanted to focus more clearly on each turtle. After I have done, it'll be the thick of the action and I'll be unable - I'll stop rambling now, enjoy!

_&&&&&&&&_

Mikey lay wrapped in a blanket in the room he had selected as his own. He was aware that his brothers had allowed him first choice just to keep him happy – he had been miserable since they left the Foot and he knew it, but he didn't seem to be able to snap out of it or even pretend to be interested in anything. The new lair was the first thing that had totally driven the drama of the last few weeks from his mind.

It hadn't lasted long enough. As the euphoria had worn off, the memories came back to him and the familiar lethargic depression had crept over him again. Leo and Don had gone to the junk yard to see what they could salvage and Mikey had excused himself from the journey, claiming to be tired and stating his intent to sleep. But sleep hadn't arrived. Instead he stared at the ceiling and thought back to the days before his brothers had arrived to rescue him.

The thoughts in his head were conflicting. Most of him knew that it had been him who had forced their hand, ensuring that they left the Foot without the careful thought that otherwise they might have given the subject with his doomed attempt to free Splinter. He could remember the hatred for his Sensei that had been burning in him for a long time, since the day he had received his scars. He knew that he had always felt like the turtle who could contribute the least to the Foot and fought not to give in to the feeling of worthlessness it had given him. But now...

Had he made a terrible mistake?

There was a voice inside him that he didn't even recognise as his own, the same litany repeating over and over. Master Saki wasn't his enemy, that voice told him. He had been misguided, manipulated by the rat. Master Saki had done only what he had to in order to ensure Michelangelo learned his lessons and was better able to protect himself. His Sensei had always valued him. The Foot were his family, not the brothers he barely knew, not the rat he couldn't trust.

Mikey didn't remember having these thoughts before he left the Foot and wanted to dismiss them as being paranoid fears now that the new life he had always dreamed of had finally been granted. But the voice grew if anything more insistent, making him wonder if it was only now that he could see the truth.

There was no way he could tell his brothers. They had risked everything and abandoned the lives they knew for him and even if they felt the same, they would only resent him for realising too late for them to do anything about it.

Once he heard Raph approach his room and glance in. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep and after a moment, Raph took off. Mikey appreciated the solicitousness of his brothers but couldn't bring himself to believe he deserved it and at that moment, he just wanted to be alone.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Thanks for loaning us the van April," said Don as he and Leo stacked anything they thought they could use in the back. It hadn't occurred to either of them that it might be difficult to drag what they needed back to the lair, more used to just putting in requests for things and having them delivered to the Foot headquarters. Fortunately, Don had brought April's number and she had agreed to help them.

"No problem," she said, cheerful in spite of the late hour and the darkness in the junkyard. They had been in her apartment only a few days and gone from it only a few hours, but she found herself at a loss after they had left, restless and bored. Don's call had been a surprise so soon but she had been glad they intended to keep in touch. Part of her had been afraid they would just disappear.

Leo and Don manhandled an electric oven with fire damage into the back of the van beside the many TV's and miscellaneous electronics that Don insisted he could use. Leo glanced doubtfully at the cargo. "There's no way we can take anything else."

"I think we've got enough to be going on with," said Don. "Until tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" Leo gave an exaggerated sigh of exhaustion. "Take Raph with you then. Count me out!"

"Wuss," said Don with a grin.

"How do you intend to get these into the sewers?" asked April.

"Simple," said Don. "There's an access tunnel nearby that's big enough for a van. There's a grille covering it but we should be able to..."

"We can't take a van all the way to the lair," said Leo. "The access tunnels are way too narrow."

"But we can get the stuff closer and not have to lower them down a manhole," said Don. "We can carry the stuff the rest of the way back."

Leo groaned again. "Why do I always end up doing the donkey work?"

"You think you got it bad?" April shook her head ruefully. "I'm the one who's gonna have to clean the van after it's been down there!"

"You'll both be grateful when you see what I've got in mind for these," said Donnie absently, his mind already on the possibilities.

April got behind the wheel, not willing to let either turtle drive her beloved van. "Um – how are things going down there? How's Mikey?"

Leo looked thoughtful. "He seemed almost like his old self when he saw the lair – fell madly in love and started getting excited. But it didn't last very long. He just wants to be alone all the time."

"But if he was acting like himself, that might mean he's getting better," said April hopefully.

"He'll get back to normal," said Don, more confidently than he felt. "It'll just take some time. Things have changed so much – it'd be strange if he _did_ act normally."

"I wish we knew more about what happened before we got to him," said Leo. "We don't know anything aside from what we saw on the computer and Mikey won't talk about it at all."

"The way Mikey can talk most of the time, it's hard to believe he can clam up like he does sometimes," said Don, thinking back to the day Saki had scarred their brothers face and the way Mikey had never mentioned it again. "But if he's determined not to talk about something, he won't and he won't be forced either. We just have to give him time."

"How much time? Anther seven years?" Leo gazed out of the window as the van rolled slowly out of the junkyard. "And don't tell Raph, but he's right about us needing to do something about the Foot. The Shredder might be gone, but they'll still be out to get us."

"Maybe they'll just forget about us?" But the inflection in Donnie's voice proved that he didn't believe that would happen.

"It'll be a matter of honour," said Leo. "You know that as well as I do. They have to retaliate."

Donnie nodded gloomily and something occurred to him that he had previously overlooked. "Hey! But Karai's probably in charge now and we all grew up together, you and her were joined at the hip. Maybe she'll forgive us."

Leo snorted. "If the roles were reversed, would you?"

"I guess not," replied Don with a shrug.

"And if I know Karai, she'll be taking it more personally because it's us," said Leo darkly. "She _will _find a way to force a confrontation. We just have to be sure we're ready for it."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Raphael."

Raph had been tossing a piece of shattered crystal from hand to hand, thinking back to the night they had escaped the Foot, the night they had been forced to flee like cowards. They had been outnumbered too heavily to do anything else but it still rankled. If it had been a fair fight, even with Mikey injured they should have been able to take down the Foot, but fighting fair had never been part of the Foot's code of honour. And the Shredder had been too skilled, too powerful for any of them to take. Their fighting skills consisted of what their former Master had taught them and he knew every move they made.

Splinter's voice jolted him out of his reverie and he glared at the rat. "What is it?"

"You are concerned about Michelangelo."

Raph shrugged. "He'll be fine, don't you worry about him. Go back to ya meditation or somethin."

"Finding inner peace is hard when there is so much turmoil in the exterior world. You keep looking to your brothers room and you are deep in thought. You always found your feelings hard to hide."

"Because ya know so much about me?" Raphael glared at Splinter. "About all of us? Ya haven't seen any of us in more than twelve years and ya think ya know us?"

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "Then help me to understand. What is it that you believe will heal Michelangelo's mental scars?"

"I don't know!" Raphael unconsciously tightened his fist around the crystal fragment. "I thought maybe getting him new _chigiriki_, but I don't even know where to begin. The Foot always supplied the weapons. We just fought."

"Maybe the _chigiriki_ is not the best solution," replied Splinter thoughtfully. "The weapon is a reminder of his former life and a replacement will be merely that. I witnessed him fight with the chigiriki but the corridor was dark and it was hard to see what occurred. The weapon Saki picked for Michelangelo is intended for distance rather than close combat. I am surprised that he selected it, given Michelangelo's skills."

"Mikey was the only one who could ever get the hang of them properly," said Raphael absently. "We could use them for a couple of seconds but only Mikey could do anything much with them. He can't go without a weapon, not for much longer."

"Maybe you should consider an alternative weapon,"mused Splinter. "One without the associations of the _chigiriki_. This may focus Michelangelo's mind upon mastering the new weapon and stop him dwelling on the past."

"It's something to think about," said Raphael gruffly. Not that he was about to let his guard down around the rat, but maybe Mikey had been right. Maybe Splinter was on the level. Abruptly, he left Splinter behind, tossing the crystal fragment to the floor and checking the entrance to the lair, seeing if Leo and Donnie were heading back.

Splinter allowed himself a small smile when Raphael was gone. Winning back the trust of his sons was not going to be a simple task, but were further proof needed of their good hearts this was it. Raphael hadn't exactly confided in him, but he had at least listened to the rats suggestion and that was always a good start. And if he acted upon that advice, it would bring Splinter one step closer to reuniting the family.

&&&&&&&&&&

"Mikey! I need some help!"

Michelangelo glanced up from the pile of comic books April had found for him and frowned at Donnie. "What with?"

Donatello attempted to imitate Mikey's 'pleading' look that at one time or another had charmed all of his brothers and half the Foot into doing him a favour. "Well, I fixed up a couple of the TVs and I could do with a hand setting them up."

"What about Leo and Raph?"

Don snorted. "Raph might be great with engines, but no _way_ am I trusting him near the TVs. And Leo's meditating. Not that he's especially good with electronics either."

"And I am?"

"Electronics, no. TV, yes. It's just setting them up."

Privately, Don knew either of his other brothers were capable of helping him but he wanted Mikey to be more involved with the setting up of their new home. It might give him something to think about other than the Foot, bring him out of his shell so to speak. It was Don's opinion that if Mikey were to help them set up home, it would increase his feeling of security and belonging and that might help his recovery.

"I'll help," said Mikey, standing up and giving his comic books a wistful look before following Don int the main area of the lair and heading to the space they had decided would be perfect for a TV monolith.

"Do you need a hand with those TVs?" asked Don as Mikey grabbed the largest of the newly repaired sets and prepared to move it.

"I'm not an invalid," snapped Mikey, lifting the set with ease and carrying it to the spot reserved for it. Inwardly berating himself, Don brought Mikey some cables over and went back to reattaching the back onto his latest TV.

A few minutes later, Don became aware of Mikey muttering to himself. "What's up Mikey? Having trouble with the cables?"

"I need more power Captain!" announced Mikey in his notoriously poor Star Trek accent. "The Turtle-cave must be set for maximum entertainment potential!"

Don grinned, happy to see this flash of his brothers previous good humour. "The _Turtle-cave_?"

"Well, what would you call our new digs? The _shell_-ter?"

"How about – the Sewer of Solitude?"

"Terrapin Station?"

"The School for Gifted Reptiles?"

"The Hall of Ninjustice!"

Leo emerged from his room and listened for a few seconds to the good-natured bickering. "How about we just call this place – home?"

"Home," said Don thoughtfully. "I like it!"

He turned to Mikey, expecting his brother to have a smart comment ready, but Mikey was staring off into space and paying no attention to either of them.

"Mikey?"

"Hmmm?" Mikey snapped back to attention. "Yeah. Home. Home sounds good." But there was a wistful tone in his voice that suggested he might not be referring to the lair.

Don frowned and returned to his work, mind working overtime. The psychology books he had been reading at April's and intended to continue as soon as he retrieved them had suggested a number of possible solutions to depression following trauma, but strangely none of them had any ideas about what to do when the patient was a five foot mutant turtle who had been kidnapped and beaten by the man who had raised them after stealing them from a mutant rat as babies. Don had tried his best with the limited time and information he had, referring to chapters about old wounds and disfigurement as well as the issues Mikey might face shortly after another attack, but it was hard. He was an engineer, not a doctor, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

_I wish I knew what happened while Shredder had Mikey,_ thought Don as he attacked the TV with slightly more force than necessary for the simple task at hand. _Something's really wrong with him and I don't know what to do! He couldn't possibly be missing living in the Foot skyscraper..._

_Could he?_

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mikey was resting on an extremely elderly couch rescued from the dump, engrossed in a programme, when Raph stealthily made his way past. He wanted to run an idea past Leo and Don and he didn't need Mikey overhearing.

The pair were sparring when Raph found them, practising and exchanging the odd joke when they got the upper hand. Raph watched them for a few minutes, noting how Don tended to lean with his shoulders and Leo needed to watch his footwork – easier to criticise when watching than doing though. Then he cleared his throat to announce his presence.

"Hey Raph," said Leo, leaping a low _nagitana _slice. "Here to spar?"

"Nah," replied Raph, glancing back to where Mikey was still seemingly captivated by the programme. "Actually, I kinda had an idea."

Leo nodded, sheathing his double-edged sword. "What is it?"

"Well, I kinda got the idea from Splinter, actually," said Raph. "I thought that getting Mikey new _chigiriki_ might help him recover. But Splinter thought it might bring back bad memories. So I got to wondering if there's another weapon for him – couldn't hurt, right?"

Leo gave a thoughtful frown. "You might be on to something there. I know I wouldn't feel right without a weapon. Any ideas in mind?"

Raph shook his head. "Most of what I thought of is too hard to get hold of."

"We could always try making something," suggested Donnie.

"With our skills?" Leo grinned at the thought. "I know you can weld, but there's a world of difference between sheet metalwork and making a weapon. Not that we know _what_ weapon."

"Sai," said Raph.

"No, Mikey never liked anything with a blade," Leo reminded him.

"How about the bo?" Donnie thought about the possibilities. "I could go over to April's and go on the net to find the specifications and it shouldn't be too hard to make... Are you OK Raph?"

Raph glared at Leo and tried to ignore the sore spot Leo had elbowed him when he opened his mouth to comment on the excuse to go to April's. "Just fine."

Leo considered Don's idea. "Can either of you see Mikey using a bo _all the time_?"

The other two thought about it and shook their heads. Raph scowled. "It's no good. I just can't see him with anything but the _chigiriki_. He could whirl that thing around like a pro..."

The same thought hit them all at the same time and they grinned at each other. There was one weapon that was the obvious choice.

"_Nunchaku!"_

Raph grinned. "They're not exactly rare. April can go buy us some."

"April's gonna be bankrupt, the way we're spending her money," grumbled Don.

"He's right," said Leo gloomily. "We might have to think about – making them ourselves."

"Who'd have thought being away from the Foot and their resources would be _this_ difficult?" Don spun his _nagitana_ thoughtfully.

"Well, time we got used to it," replied Raph with a growl. "We have to, or the Foot'll just take us apart when we confront 'em."

"And we need to keep training," added Leo. "Everything we know is the same as what the Foot know. They're aware of our strengths and weaknesses and they'll capitalise on them. We need to change our fighting styles, take them by surprise."

Don frowned. "Change our fighting styles? How?"

"I'll think of something." Leo Leo thought for a moment. "OK, Don, you and Raph go to April's before the junkyard..."

"Whoa!" said Raph, holding up a hand. "Junk yard?"

"It's your turn."

"It's your job!"

"Since when?"

"Come on Raph, it won't be that bad," said Donnie. "Anyway, I was thinking about making us all some cellphones. I'll need to get the parts from somewhere."

"Phones? Who we gonna call?"

"Ghostbusters?"

The three turned at the voice in the shadows. Mikey was standing there, a small smile on his scarred face.

"How long have you been stood there?" asked Leo.

"Couple minutes," said Mikey with a shrug. "I'll go to the junkyard instead of you Raph, if you want."

"No," said Donnie decisively. "You're going nowhere until those injuries heal."

"Fine," said Mikey, rolling his eyes.

"We'll bring ya back something nice," said Raphael cheerfully. "Maybe Don can fix us a DVD player and we can borrow something off April to watch."

"Have you seen her DVD collection? Chick flick city." But the promise seemed to cheer Mikey up a little and he followed Raph back into the main area of the lair.

"He seems to be getting better," commented Leo.

"A little anyway," agreed Don.

"Donnie – be careful tonight. Don't let Raph drag you into looking for a fight. Stay hidden. And if you see any of the Foot, come straight back here."

"Don't worry Leo!"

"I am worried though," said Leonardo. "Maybe I should go with you instead of Raph."

"Stop it Leo," said Don, resting a hand on his brothers shell. "It's just a late night trip to the junkyard. What could possibly go wrong?"


	4. Ain't It Fun

**Author Note 1: **This chapter is light on plot advancement, mostly because I needed to set the tone for the next (Don-centric) chapter where the action's gonna speed up rather a lot ;) And about updates: they won't be coming as fast as this from now on as I should be studying for stupid exams next month and have so far done, uh... oh yeah, sod all! But I dare say I'll still manage maybe one a week, or that's the plan anyway. Apologies for any spelling/ grammar errors, feel free to point them out (I have corrected those pointed out to me in the last chapter too). For some reason, I can spellcheck every document except this one – go figure.

_&&&&&&&&_

"Damn it Don!" Raph glared at his brothers beseeching expression and sighed. "We don't have the van tonight and there's no _way_ I'm lugging that back to the lair. What do we need a washing machine for? We don't wear clothes!"

"I could use the parts..."

"So take the parts out and put them in the bag!"

"I don't know what I need until I'm making it."

"The washing machine will still be here tomorrow night."

"It might not be."

"So there'll be others! I mean it Don, I'm not carrying it."

"Fine," said Donnie, in a bit of a huff, walking away to search for more parts while Raph went back to his thoughts. There had been plenty on the net about the dimensions of nunchucks and he was beginning to think they might actually be able to pull it off. Mikey would have his new weapons and then...

_And then what? We go to Foot headquarters and knock on the door?_

It was Leo who came up with the plans, Leo who had worked out how to bust Mikey out, Leo who always knew what the best course of action was. Raph didn't know where to begin. His idea of a plan was to walk in and start fighting. But Leo didn't seem to be thinking of any way to handle the Foot and the lack of action was making him irritable.

Patience wasn't his thing. He could understand Leo's reasoning – they _had_ needed to find a new home, Mikey needed time to heal, they had to spend time preparing for the inevitable confrontation – but that didn't mean he had to like it. And he _certainly_ didn't like the way Leo seemed to think the Foot should be the ones to come to them. Choosing the site and time of a battle was to begin with the advantage, that was what Saki had always taught them.

A distant sound startled him out of his brooding. Lowering his hand to his belt and his sun and moon daggers, he headed to where the noise seemed to originate from.

Nothing there.

_Getting jumpy_ he thought, annoyed at himself. Probably nothing more than a rat.

Thinking of rats made him think of Splinter. Back at Foot headquarters, the old rat seemed to know how to fight. Maybe they should ask him for some pointers. If his Master Yoshi was as good a ninja as Splinter claimed, maybe he could help them learn some new moves, something that would let them take the Foot by surprise.

But trusting the rat made Raph uncomfortable. True, he had helped them and Leo and Mikey seemed to trust him, but what did they really know about him? Not much. He seemed on the level but Raph had trusted the Foot and Oruku Saki and where had that got them? Fighting for their lives while their so-called family tried to kill them, that was where.

The sound of footsteps made him look up. Donnie returning. Maybe the Brainiac had got all the stuff he needed and they could go back to the lair, then he could get to examining the set of weights he had found, almost new, evidently someones aborted attempt to get into shape...

It wasn't Donnie.

Raph narrowed his eyes as he recognised the man stepping out of the shadows. Dragon Face. Second in command of the Purple Dragons, the one always vying to be top dog, steal the coveted leadership role from Hun. It would take something pretty special for whomever was controlling the Foot following Saki's demise to remove control of the gang from Hun and give it to Dragon Face.

Something like the capture of Clan traitors.

Raphael grabbed his sun and moon daggers and spun them menacingly. "You do _not _want to do this Dragon Face. You can't take me alone."

"I'm not alone."

Behind him, Raph sensed rather than heard the other Dragons approach and cursed inwardly. He was supposed to be keeping an eye out but he hadn't heard any engines approaching and had been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to be genuinely alert. How had they known they would be there?

"Good thing Two-Ton saw you heading in here," said Dragon Face, answering one of Raph's unspoken questions. "I thought you were supposed to be ninja."

"Enough of a ninja to kick your sorry asses," growed Raph, waiting for them to make a move and wondering where the hell Donnie had got to. Had he wandered too far away to hear or was he just so engrossed in his techno-geek-whatever that he wasn't paying attention?

There was always the third option – that the Dragons had taken care of Donnie already and Raph had failed to hear. No, that didn't seem likely. Don wouldn't have gone down without a fight and he couldn't have failed to hear that.

Dragon Face stepped forward. "Take him down."

The Dragons weren't trained ninja, few of them with even rudimentary martial arts abilities. What they did have was street fighting skills, no scruples and a desire to prove themselves.

Raphael smiled grimly as he raised his weapons, no time to plan his strategy, letting instinct take over. _You picked the wrong day to mess with me Dragons – I am NOT in a good mood._

He blocked a pipe aimed at his face with his daggers, a low leg sweep knocking the guy over and moving him out of the way of a wild swing of a chain. Whipping around, he slahed at the chain-weilders hand, cutting deep into the flesh, sending blood drops flying as he swung the daggers back, leaping into the air and kicking out to the sides to strike another two members of the gang and knock them down.

But he had lost the elements of speed and surprise and the numbers were swiftly becoming a problem. Two-Ton might have spied them entering the junkyard, but he didn't doubt it was Dragon Face who had summoned so many of the Dragons to the spot in hopes of an ambush. On top of that, he had never fought the Dragons before, or any kind of street fighter. Hell, he had been on the same side as the Dragons more times than he could count. He instinctively expected them to fight in the martial arts style that anyone he had fought or sparred with in the past did and when they didn't, it caught him more off-guard than he liked to admit to himself.

He took down another Dragon with a solid punch to the jaw when someone behind him got in a lucky shot with a pipe, the force of the blow causing him to stumble to the side. He was outnumbered and there was no room for him to manouvre, the closer they got, the less able he was to mount an effective defence. He leapt up again, roundhouse kick sending a couple more Dragons to the ground, but he knew this wasn't going to last for long. There were too many of them and the ones he hadn't injured sufficiently were getting back to their feet with murder in their eyes, determined to gain retribution for their wounds and those ot their fellow gang members who weren't so lucky.

A sun and moon dagger sliced through the clothes and flesh of a Dragon trying to hit Raph with his fist, causing him to howl and retreat, holding his wounded arm – but before Raph could capitalise, a lucky shot knocked the weapon from his hand, leaving him with only one dagger to fight the gang. A second later a chain caught him a glancing blow across the back of the head, opening a cut and causing him to see stars. Snarling, Raph let his anger take over, lashing out without concern of how much damage he might do, focused on nothing more than the fight...

There was a sound behind him, metal striking metal. Turning, he saw Don with his _nagitana _raised, the blade deflecting a blow from a pipe that would have otherwise landed on Raph's head and might well have caused some serious damage, if not death.

"Watch your back Raph!"

"Isn't that what you're for Brainiac?"

Don shoved with the _nagitana_, sending the Dragon stumbling backward and a moment later a double phoenix punch sent him down for good. The other Dragons had clearly not been expecting there to be two of them, hesitating slightly.

Dragon Face snarled. "You didn't say there were two of them!"

"I only saw one!" yelled back Two-Ton.

"Just get 'em!"

It didn't surprise Raph when Dragon Face hung back as the other Dragons jumped back into the fray. But there were less of them now and with Don to watch his back, Raph was more able to focus his attacks instead of being forced to defend himself from all sides. Minutes later, the few Dragons still standing were forced to flee before they too fell victim to the two turtles, leaving their fallen friends behind.

"Let's get out of here Raph," said Don, heading to the spot where he had ditched his bag containing his finds. "Before they decide to call in the Foot."

"Let them call the Foot," growled Raph, retrieving his dropped dagger and spinning it around. "I'm just gettin warmed up."

"We can't afford to fight any more tonight," Don reminded him. "We need to get back and we need to do it now, before the Foot do show up and they decide to follow us instead of fighting."

Raphael nodded, his displeasure with this plan showing clearly on his face. The Purple Dragons. In all his thoughts of where retribution might come from, he had forgotten to take the Dragons into account and yet it made sense that they'd be just as eager for payback as the Foot. They had all been under Saki's employ. And it was a personal thing between them and him. He had never been a memeber of the Dragons but he had joined them on some of their late-night activities, drank beers with them at their various headquarters, hung out with them. They may have links with the Foot but they were also a street gang, an entity unto themselves and when Raph ran out on the Foot, he also betrayed the Dragons, a crime punishable by whatever method they saw fit.

"Sewers?" asked Don as they exited the junkyard, sticking to the shadows.

"We can't exactly take the rooftops around here," said Raph, glaring at the darkened streets without another building around for several hundred yards. There was however a manhole cover just outside the junkyard and he raised the lid, allowing Don to climb down before following, replacing the lid behind him and hoping that no one had seen their method of escape. He had seen no sign of movement in the shadows around the junyard and it would be hard for anyone to hide in the meagre cover, much less a Dragon untrained in the art of invisibility.

Once in the sewer they continued evasive action, taking a route that led in the wrong direction to the lair, staying in the shadows, taking the darkest, most difficult tunnels. Only when it was certain that no one was following did Don break the silence.

"Where did the Dragons come from?"

"Sounds like Two-Ton spotted one of us goin into the junkyard," said Raph irritably. "Called Dragon Face, set up an ambush. Or tried to."

"So the Dragons know we're not with the Foot?"

"Hun probably told 'em. Hell, the bastard probably put a price on our heads. Leo killin Shredder, we're probably worth a whole lot and the Dragons would just _love_ to collect."

"And I thought the Dragons were friends of yours."

Raph snorted in contempt. "Hardly. Beside, I couldn't still hang out with the Dragons after leaving the Foot. They'll be after all of us."

"And you in particular?"

"Thanks for reminding me."

"You're bleeding."

"Got a hit from a chain. Just a scratch."

There was silence for a few minutes more, then Raph sighed. "Don, do you know where we're goin?"

"Uh... I brought a map."

"Good thing, because I'm lost."

"These sewers are like a maze," agreed Don, taking out the map and studying it. "OK, we went west outside the junkyard, then headed north-west when we got to the intersection and then we got to that blocked off tunnel and... oh hell. Want to take a peek out of a manhole, find out where we are?"

"Sure," said Raph, spotting a ladder and climbing up to the manhole. "Uh, I can see Vinnie's Pizza across the street."

"And that makes us almost six miles from the lair," said Don resignedly.

Raph let the lid drop and jumped back into the sewers. "Great. Just great. The old 'turtle luck' running true to form. We have to carry all this junk another six miles?"

"We had to make sure we lost the Dragons. Beside, you were the one insisted on bringing the weights."

"I'm the one carrying them!"

There was silence as Don referred to the map and plotted the shortest route through the sewers back to the lair, indicating to a tunnel and heading in that direction. Raph followed, knowing it was only a matter of time before his brother decided to ask something else...

"Who would have given Hun permission to let the Dragons attack us?"

_Bingo._

"With the Shredder dead, the Foot should be wanting to take charge of killing us themselves," continued Donnie. "It doesn't make _sense_ for the Dragons to be able to attack us. And if Karai took over the Foot, there's no way she'd let Hun put a price on us for the Dragons to collect."

"Maybe Karai doesn't know," said Raph. "Hun and Karai were never exactly on good terms. But more likely, they were hoping to force our hand. If Karai is in charge, she has to know that the Dragons couldn't take us down. The Dragons comin after us every chance they get – she'll be hopin to make us come out of hidin."

Don nodded. "Sounds like Karai. She has to be taking this personally."

"Wouldn't you?"

"It had nothing to do with her."

Raphael laughed without humour. "She won't see it like that. Not that she cares too much about what we do, but I bet it's eatin her that Leo was the one killed Saki."

"She won't stop until she finds us," agreed Don gloomily.

The pair walked on in silence, occasionally checking to make sure they weren't followed, but it seemed that they had made their getaway before it occurred to the Dragons to call for backup. As they approached the lair, Donnie glanced around the sewer tunnels to determine what the best type of alarm and surveillance system might be.

Leo glanced up sharply as the pair entered. "What took you so long? What happened to your head Raph?"

"Fight," said Raph shortly.

"Please tell me you didn't run into the Foot," said Leo.

"Purple Dragons," Don said. "Ambushed us in the junkyard."

"Oh great," growled Leo, not trying to hide the sarcasm in his tone. "Now they know we've been going there, probably alert the Foot and _they'll _have someone watching the place!"

"So? It's not the only junkyard in New York," Raph snapped back. "We don't even _need_ half of this stuff!"

"Unless you want food and entertainment," replied Leo.

Don sighed as he recognised the beginnings of another argument. "Look, we can go to another junkyard easily enough. All I have to do is hotwire a car or something and..."

"No."

The three turned as Splinter approached. None of them had even realised he was in the room.

"Donatello, you are no longer a Foot ninja. To steal is to think as one."

"Well, it's kinda hard to erase twelve years of thinking," said Don defensively.

"And who are you to tell us what to do," growled Raph.

Splinter opened his mouth to reply but Leo beat him to it. "He's right guys. If we're really leaving the Foot behind, we can't keep acting like them."

"So where do we get some wheels from Fearless Leader?" Raph scowled. "Since you're the one who seems all fired up about us having all the comforts of headquarters."

"We can come up with something," said Don, trying to placate his hot-tempered brother. "Maybe we can fix up a junker – we're both pretty good with engines."

"Maybe," said Raphael, not especally cheered by this suggestion. "I'm going to put these weights away."

"Let me check out your head first," said Don.

Grumbling under his breath, Raph let himself be examined and his wound cleaned up before heading off to his room. On the way, he had to pass Mikey's room and realised he hadn't seen his brother around when he and Leo were getting ready to argue. He might be more cheerful, but there was still a long way to go before a recovery.

But Raph had a plan to help.

While searching the junkyard, they had come across several things that might be used to make the nunchucks they had planned for their brother. April had let them print off several internet pages relating to the weapons and Raph had called Casey while they were above the antiques shop, eliciting promises for blowtorch and sandpaper the following night. Whether or not they could pull it off was up to debate, it would certainly take some time no matter what. And Raph had something else in the meantime.

"Hey Mikey, you awake?"

"Yeah."

Raph wandered into the chamber Mikey called his room. The usually enthusiastic turtle hadn't done much to turn it into his own space, merely left a pile of blankets on the floor and some comics and books in a corner. Of course, Mikey hadn't been in there long and had yet to go anywhere he might find something to personalise his room. But it still didn't look like a place Mikey might be happy.

"Found ya a present."

Mikey had been lying on the blamkets flipping through a Justice Force comic, but the mention of a present caught his attention. He looked up, more curious than hopeful.

"It's nothing much," said Raph, opening the bag with his weights in and pulling out the gadget he'd located. "Thought ya might like it."

Mikey sat up and took the game from Raph. It was a promotional toy from some burger bar or other, the type that comes free with the childs meal, but less forgettable than most. A couple of months previously, a new video game had come onto the market and had a cartoon based on it released. The burger bar had given away promotional electronic games to coincide with the event, simple enough to understand but complicated to master.

"Thanks Raph!" Mikey turned the game on and Raph suppressed a frown, knowing the electronic bleeping of the game would drive him insane in about five seconds flat.

"How're the injuries Mike?"

Turning the game off temporarily, Mikey sighed. "They're better! Don's just paranoid."

Raph eyed Mikey's face uncertainly. The old scars had been intersected with fresh cuts, healing but still evident. There were other slashes on his body and bruises that should have faded before but had been too severe. Mikey looked better than he had when they first left the Foot but he was a long way from 'all better'.

Noticing the look, Mikey scowled. "Oh, I guess you wanna keep me hidden away down here too?"

"No one wants to keep you hidden away Mikey – we just wanna make sure you're OK before ya go splashing through the sewers."

For a moment, Mikey looked as if he might start yelling in a way that usually only Raph was capable of – and then his anger deflated suddenly.

"I know you're only trying to look out for me but I don't deserve the concern and I don't need the pity. I just... I don't like being down here."

"What, the lair?"

"The lair's fine. It's the sewers. There's no day or night down here. No people. Nothing except a lot of dirty water and us. I miss – I mean, I miss being above ground."

But Mikey's eyes shifted as he made his last statement, staring instead at the wall, making Raphael suspect he wasn't telling the whole truth.

**Author Note 2: **Admit it, ya thought it was the Garbageman!


	5. What It's About

**Author Note: **Y'know peeps, I must have started this chapter about five times. I knew what I wanted to happen and then realised the whole idea was totally off topic for the story and had no reason for existing, it didn't advance the plot in any way and was merely an excuse for me to try something I hadn't before. So I scrapped it and then I was lost. I knew what would happen in the next chapter but had no idea how to bridge the gap from here to there.

Who says smoking isn't a good thing? I was sat on the doorstep puffing furiously away and listening to a song I haven't had on in an age when suddenly I knew what had to happen and basically, it was the end of this chapter. To get to the end part, I had to fill in some unanswered questions from the last chapter. Therefore, this chapter was born. Let me know if it worked or not, because although I tend to have chapters planned out several days in advance and know in previous chapters where I want it to head, this is pretty off the wall.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The three turtles had to ensure that everything was perfect and the checks had to be done in absolute secrecy. If their brother even suspected they were up to something, the surprise would be ruined!

Leo picked up the nunchaku and swung them experimentally. "Seem to be fine."

"I still don't believe ya let April talk ya into _that_," added Raph, indicating to the orange ribbon tied around each grip.

"It's cheerful!" said Don defensively. "Beside, I've seen your planing. With those covering them, he might not get splinters."

"Speaking of..." Leo glanced toward the chamber where Splinter meditated. "Do you think we ought to include him in this? The chucks were his idea after all."

"No way," said Raph dismissively. "This is about Mikey and he hasn't been paying much attention to Splinter."

"No, he hasn't," said Don, a sudden realisation hitting him. Why hadn't he seen it earlier?

"Earth to Don!" Raph waved a hand in front of his face. "Are we doing this or what?"

"Let's go," said Don, putting his insights to the back of his mind for the time being.

"Hey Raph, since it was your idea to get a weapon..." Leo replaced the nunchucks in the box they had found and handed it to Raphael.

Raph shrugged, feeling absurdly pleased but trying to hide it. "Let's go already."

As they approached Michelangelo's room, they could hear the sounds that had been plaguing all of them for the last few days.

_Blip... blip... blip... blip... BLEEP!... blip... blip...BLEEP!..._

"Curse you forces of evil!"

"Remind me to kill you for finding him that Raph," muttered Leo out of the corner of his mouth before raising his voice. "Hey Mikey!"

"What? I'm trying to save the world here – no! Fire! Fire fire fire!"

"Got you something!"

There was a sigh from within and a moment later the electronic bleeps ceased and Mikey appeared at the chamber entrance.

"What?"

Don elbowed Raph and Raph glared at him for a second before handing the box over.

"Um, we made them..." said Raph uncertainly as Mikey opened the box.

"Nunchucks."

"Uh yeah..."

"We thought you might like a new weapon," added Don as he realised Mikey was looking less than thrilled.

"And we thought nunchucks might suit you," continued Leo.

Mikey gave the nunchaku an experimental twirl. "You made these for me?"

"Sure we did," said Don, beginning to talk too much when he couldn't read his brothers expression. "Since you're mostly healed up now and you needed a weapon and you can start training again now and ..."

It was Raph's turn to elbow Don. "Jeez, stop babbling already!"

Mikey eyed the nunchucks for a long moment then looked up and gave the three a huge grin. "These are _great_! Thanks!"

Don gave silent thanks. For a moment he had thought that Mikey hated the nunchaku or was offended they hadn't supplied him with his old weapon of _chigiriki_.

"You know you'll have to put in extra hours in the dojo," said Leo, a hint of a smile on his face. "Those things are really difficult, none of us could get the hang..."

He stopped as Mikey, after a couple of false starts, managed to get them whirling around at high speed.

"You were saying?"

"Show off," muttered Raph.

"I'm just gifted," said Mikey, attempting to raise them above his head and whacking himself in the shoulder. "Ouch!"

Don laughed. "Definately more practise needed bro."

"Then I'd better go practise," said Mikey, hurrying past his brothers to go to the dojo area before pausing and looking beseechingly at Don. "Unless I have to _recouperate_ any more." He made it sound like a dirty word.

"I think you've _recouperated _enough."

"Woo-hoo!" Mikey raced away and Leo and Raph sniggered at his exhuberance. Don however was lost in thought. Physically Mikey was fine but he wanted to see just how the mental scars were healing.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

For a whole week, Mikey refused to stop training save for meals and sleep. He didn't even seem interested in going topside, although he had sponken of it longingly prior to getting his nunchucks. When asked, he claimed he wanted to get used to the new weapons and it was understandable – the chucks were difficult and for the first few days Mike gave himself several good smacks on the head as he tried to master the weapon. But he got better and better at it. At the same time he resumed his martial arts and although rusty at first, he was soon back on form.

Don however was concerned. Mikey had never pushed himself like this as a Foot ninja and back then he had wanted to please their Sensei. There was something else involved in this rigorous training. And although Leo and Raph had noticed, they had once again begun bickering about trivialities and spent too much time fuming, trying to get over their respective bad moods. They had often been that way in the Foot headquarters, but then they spent less time together, had places to go to let off steam. Now they had only each other and going topside alone had been deemed disallowed since the disasterous trip to the junkyard. All too often Raph stormed off to explore the sewer tunnels and Leo would grumble that one day he would go too far and decide to go up.

Privately, Don was getting tired of all of them.

After Mikey, he had always been the one most likely to try to keep the peace between them. But since Mikey had given up on that in order to concentrate solely on ninjitsu and solemnity, the job had fallen on Don. And he had no idea how to divert his brothers from an argument. He could alwys think of the perfect comment to diffuse the situation – about an hour after the row had ended.

So for a while he had withdrawn, as he tended to do when things got on top of him, concentrating instead on the electronics he had rescued from the junkyard. First up were the remnants of mobile phones. The contant upgrades and the importance of having the latest models were making even relatively recent models seem dated and Don had been amazed at the sheer number he had found, still intact and working. A little inginuity and a lot of patience had allowed him to strip the original casings and create a phone to his own specifications.

As soon as the first 'shell-cell' was finished, he called April.

"Second Time Around."

"Hey April!"

"Donnie! Are you at a payphone in the _day_?"

"Nope. I've just made the first phone. I call it the shell-cell!"

April laughed. "Do you plan to name everything you build after a turtle trait?"

"I just might. So, how are things?"

"Same as ever. You?"

"Ug. I think Raph and Leo are going to kill each other before long and Mikey's training with the kind of intensity he usually reserves for pizza!"

"You can't expect to adjust to things overnight."

"True, but it's been awhile now and I still can't get used to being cooped up with everyone. Anyway, I didn't call to moan about my problems, I just wanted to make sure the shell-cell was working."

"I'd call this a successful feild test – oh, wait a moment." The phone was lowered by the sound but Don could still hear her shout. "Casey Jones! Be careful with that..."

_Crash!_

"Grrrrrrr..." April's voice came through more clearly. "Don, I have to go. Call me later, give me the number, OK?"

"Sure," said Don, terminating the call and frowning thoughtfully.

_Casey?_

Behind the corner of the lair he used as a workspace, he became aware of activity and turned to watch what was happening. Mikey had finally emerged from the dojo and for a moment Don thought he might have decided to have a break.

"Hey Leo! Wanna spar?"

Leo had been sat on the couch watching the news carefully but at Mikey's request stood up. "Sure, why not? I hope you've got the hang of those things, I don't need a concussion right now."

"The point of weapons practise is to..." Mikey trailed off and Don remembered what Saki had always told them, what Mikey was about to repeat. _The purpose of a weapon is to incapacitate your opponent in any way you can. Therefore, the point of weapons practise is to learn how to put your opponent down and out or to learn to move out of the way. _

For a moment Mikey gazed into the distance and then his eyes refocused. "I need to learn to use them against an opponent."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm nothing more than a practise dummy?" Still, Leo drew his swords and walked over to Mike.

"A dummy for sure," said Mike.

Don grinned at the exchange, realising how few Mikey-isms he had heard lately.

"He is very dedicated."

"GAH!" Don whirled around to find Splinter stood behind him. "Do you _have_ to sneak up on me like that?"

"As ninja, you should be aware of your surroundings at all times, learn when there is someone in your vicinity."

"Usually I am. Only Sen – only Saki could ever creep up on me without me knowing. And you."

Splinter inclined his head slightly and let his eyes go back to the wall that blocked Mikey and Leo from their view. "Ever since you have deemed Michelangelo fit to resume training, he has done little else."

"I know."

"There is an old Japenese saying; 'obsession is dedication out of control'. To wish to improve is admirable but to exclude everything else is not good."

Don shrugged. In truth, he was still uncomfortable around the old rat. "Why shouldn't he want to improve his fighting skills? We can't hide away from the Foot forever. Best to be prepared."

"Michelangelo is preparing physically. But half the battle is won in the mind. None of you are ready to face the Foot, no matter how much you train."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You of all your brothers have suffered the least from the seperation from the Foot Clan. You should aid your brothers in their adjustment."

"I haven't sufferered?" Don gave Splinter an incredulous look. "I lost my home, my lab, all the things I've been working on, I have to scavange through garbage to find electronics just to make this place livable while I listen to bickering and complaining and I can't even get away from it all because there are about a thousand enemy ninjas waiting on the streets to take off our heads!"

"I did not say you had not lost," said Splinter, maddeningly calm. "But it seems that you have the least emotional investment in the Foot Clan. Leonardo believes he was mislead and feels foolish. Raphael is angry that he had been betrayed and as he sees it, bettered in combat. And Michelangelo feels he has something to prove."

"I trusted - "

"UGH!"

Mikey flew into sight, skidding on his shell across the floor. Tightening his grip on the nunchaku, he jumped back to his feet.

"Oh, you are going _down_ sword boy!" The words were joking enough, but there was a look in his eye that told Don he was deadly serious. Mikey raced back into the fray and although he was out of view, the sounds suggested a serious battle going on.

Don sighed. "I suppose I should do something about what's going on. I just don't see why it always has to be me."

"It will not always be this way." Splinter rested a paw on Don's shoulder. "Soon enough, they will realise how their behaviour is affecting the rest of their family. They just need some guidance."

"Sure," said Donnie gloomily. He paused for a moment and then gave in. He had wanted to question Splinter about a few things ever since he first spoke to the rat, before he even knew he _was _a rat. "Splinter, can I ask you some things about our origins?"

"I was wondering who would be the first to bring up the subject," replied Splinter, a slightly amused look on his face.

"Saki always told us he found us in a lab the Foot were raiding. He said he has enemies that he and his Sensei and his Sensei's Sensei had fought before him and they had been experimenting with the creation of super soldiers. We were all that were saved from the lab. But you say it was all some kind of – accident?"

Splinter nodded. "I witnessed the whole thing. The boy who dropped his turtles during the commotion that ensued when the blind man was nearly run over. The cannister that followed you into the sewer. I remember it as if it was yesterday." He allowed himself a small smile. "You were all so cute."

"But if I believe what you say..." Don frowned and rubbed his forehead. "I always thought we were special."

"Do not confuse what you were with what you are," said Splinter sternly. "It is not how you came to be that makes you who you are."

"I guess," said Donnie, not sounding convinced. "I wish I could get my hands on some of that mutagen, run a diagnostic on it. If I had my lab equipment of course."

"You will regain those things in time."

"Perhaps." Don turned back to the desk he was using, one leg supported by a pile of mildewing books. "I just hope I can find a salvagable mother board soon. I hate doing all these calculations on paper. And I miss not being able to look up what I need on the internet."

"Hiiiii – YA!"

Don turned to the sound of Mikey's voice and frowned. What Splinter had said made some sense but he resented that he seemed to be the only one who had the burden of piecing together the fractured family.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mikey was infuriating when he didn't want to talk. Don sometimes thought it would take a radical plan, probably involving superglue, to shut him up and although that was mostly true he was also very good at keeping his secrets. Which meant that skirting around an issue rarely worked. With Mikey, it was the direct approach or nothing and even then he would try to avoid a straight answer.

So while Leo and Raph explored the sewer tunnels and Splinter meditated, Don decided he would just come right out and ask the question, especially since Mikey was finally taking some time off from his nuchaku tecniques.

"Mikey?"

"Hmmm?"

_Blip... blip...blip..._

"I need to ask you some questions about – y'know, what happened in Foot Headquarters."

_Blip... BEEP!_

"Dammit!"

"It's important."

"Can't it wait? I'm so close to beating my high score I can taste it!"

"Not really."

Mikey gave a long suffering sigh and restarted the game. "Fine. Ask away."

"What happened after the Shredder found you trying to free Splinter?"

"We fought. He won. You know that."

_Blip... blip... blip..._

"I mean, between then and when we came to get you."

"Not much. Stuck in a room where the lights never went out."

"You were sleep deprived?"

"You try catching some Z's when it's that bright."

"No noise?"

"Just the radio in the background I think. Too quiet to make out what it was saying. Drove me mad."

"Wait. There was a radio on? Music or talk?"

"Couldn't really hear it. Talk I think."

"Eat anything?"

"You're joking. There was Kool-aid."

Don frowned. Sleep deprivation was a classic brainwashing tecnique used by cults the world over. And the background sounds may have been another way to interrupt his thought process.

_Fasting, suger overloads, no sleep, isolated, uncomfortable... oh no._

"Do you regret leaving the Foot?"

_BLEEP!_

"Dammit!"

"Mikey? Do you?"

"That's a weird question Don. Don't tell me – you're pining for your computer! Me too. I know one day I'll crack your secret codes and then I can read your journal!"

"I never kept a journal."

"So what was in your top secret files? Hmmm?" Mikey raised an eye ridge and Don felt himself getting defensive.

"Just research! Even if you _could_ work out the codes, which I doubt, you wouldn't understand any of it."

"Research. Right." The disbelief in Mikey's voice was evident.

"It was!"

"I believe you Donnie," said Mikey unconvincingly. "Anyway, I'm going to put in some more time with the chucks."

"Wait!" Don realised he had let Mikey distract him. "You didn't answer me. Do you regret leaving the Foot?"

Mikey shrugged. "Don't you? Living down here in the sewers away from the rest of the world and scavenging for junk? You can't tell me this is how you imagined your future."

"I don't regret it for a second," said Don quietly. "We were being used by the Foot, by Saki. It might have been easier to stay but no matter how hard things get, we're free of them. We'll get back on our feet Mikey. It's just going to take some time."

_Please tell me I don't have to deprogramme my own brother_ thought Donnie as Mikey glanced around the lair doubtfully, obviously doubting it was possible to get used to living in a sewer.

"Listen, why don't we go topside for a while?" Don knew that Leo had told them not to go out alone with the Foot running about looking for them but if there were two of them, what harm could it do? Beside, Mikey hadn't been above ground since they left April's apartment, first recouperating and then obsessed with training.

"I dunno, Leo said we should stay out of sight."

"Since when did you start listening to Leo? Anyway, no one's going to see us if we stick to the shadows. Ninja, remember?"

"I guess."

The nearest manhole led them out into the warehouse district and it was easy enough to hurry up a fire escape and take to the rooftops. Mikey paused for a moment when they reached the first roof, enjoying the night air.

Don stayed quiet for a few moments before speaking. "Follow the leader?"

"Who died and made you leader?"

"Just try to keep up."

"You couldn't outrun the Mikester on your best day!"

"Wanna bet?" Don took off running, leaping from one rooftop to another with ease, Mikey behind him and having no problems keeping pace, much to Don's relief. He had been mildly worried that the enforced rest period and the lack of Foot workout facilities would have affected his brothers stamina, but it didn't seem to be an issue.

It was some time later when Don leapt nimbly onto a rooftop some distance from the lair and paused briefly to catch his breath. Mikey had fallen behind slightly, still in sight three or four rooftops over, gaping at a poster for a movie. No doubt for some thinly plotted action flick.

Don looked out across the neighbourhood and froze, fortunately cloaked by the shadows.

He could see another shadow on a distant rooftop, a figure sneaking stealthily, almost invisible in the darkness. Someone who obviously knew how to hide, how to use the art of invisibility. A ninja.

A Foot ninja?

For a few seconds Don could only watch as the figure ducked out of sight, seemingly heading away from them...

_Shit, Mikey!_

Paralysis breaking, he turned and hurried back to where his brother was still examining the movie billboard. Don was aware that he had to stick to the shadows but Mikey was making no more than a desultory effort to do so, not knowing who was around.

"Come on Mike. Let's go home."

"Awww, _Donnie_..."

"Leo and Raph will be worrying."

"So?"

Still, Mikey reluctantly followed Donnie to street level, watching as he lifted a manhole cover.

"Don? Why are we taking the sewers?"

"It's faster. We've been topside long enough."

There were a few seconds of quiet as the pair jumped into the sewers and Mikey replaced the lid. But when they set off, he noticed the discrepancy.

"Aren't we going in the wrong direction?"

"Short cut," lied Don.

By the time they actually got back to the lair, after Don had ensured they weren't being followed and avoiding Mikey's confused questions, he had almost persuaded himself he couldn't possibly have seen a ninja. Certainly not a Foot ninja. One guy on a roftop did not add up to an army. The incident with the Purple Dragons had just left him jumpy and now he was imagining enemies everywhere. Perhaps the guy he saw lived in the building or had some kind of business up there. Maybe he was just a burglar or something. And if he mentioned it to Leo, Fearless Leader would immediately think the worst. Better to keep what he may or may not have seen to himself.

It was a decision he would come to regret.

&&&&&&&

Baxter Stockkman rarely had business in this neighbourhood, but the tiresome duty of sorting out his finances really couldn't wait much longer. Most of his banking was done electronically, but there were some things that required his signature and that meant heading to the bank.

Moodily, he stared out of the cab window, already hating the crowds, the noise, the traffic. He just wanted to get back to his lab. The mousers seemed to have some sort of glitch that hadn't been apparent when he had done the test runs, causing them to overheat. It was a new development and he would have suspected sabotage if that stupid turtle had still been working for him. But Donatello was long gone, along with his brother, denying Baxter any chance of genetic experimentation. If only he hadn't been so cautious! He might have at least had a DNA sample then but no, he chose to wait and now he had nothing.

A shop on a corner caught his eye. There was a suit of armour of all things in the window and two children were pressed against the glass, staring at it in wonder. Stockman snorted contemptuously. As a child, he hadn't wasted time with such frivolities.

Mildly curious and more than a little bored with waiting in traffic, he glanced at the sign above the door.

SECOND TIME AROUND

_Proprietor: April O'Neil._

Stockman stared at it, wondering if it was time to change his glasses. He hadn't thought about his errant lab assistant for an age. But it couldn't be his April that was the owner, she was dead...

_But no one ever asked you about her when she vanished._

That much was true. Some one should have noticed her absence by now – unless she wasn't missing at all. But he had gone over to the address on her file and it looked as if no one had been there in an age.

_And isn't that just a little peculiar?_

It was more than a little peculiar. It had been less than a week after his mousers chased her into the sewer, why would the house seem so unlived in? But the files would have had to be altered from inside Stocktronics and April certainly hadn't been back.

_Donatello._

Stockman narrowed his eyes. It made sense. The troublesome turtle wasn't supposed to be in the building the night April was disposed of but what if he had been? It would explain why several of the mousers had not returned and everyone knew now that he had betrayed the Foot.

Slowly, a nasty grin came over Stockman's face. Shredder had offered a lot of money to anyone with information about the turtles whereabouts. If April really was alive and Donatello had indeed aided her escape, then she may be able to lead the Foot right to the turtles. And even if she had no idea where they were – it would teach her to snoop around where she wasn't wanted and try to fool him into thinking she was dead.

Either way, Baxter Stockman won.

&&&&&&&&&

At roughly the same time, a private plane was taking a route from Japan to America, specifically New York City. The plane was opulant, comfortable, luxurious, but the person for whom it had been arranged was taking no notice whatsoever, glued to her laptop.

A map of the city was on the screen. A mouse click zoomed in on one area, where one would believe there was little of interest save for a junkyard and some warehouses. The surrounding neighbourhood was largely industrial, not a place most would seek out after a long plane journey.

Oruku Karai was not most people.

Her fathers attempts at finding the treacherous mutants had come to naught. Given time, he may have found out something else. But time was not on their side and he was impatient for revenge. Which was where Karai came in. She had no doubt that Leonardo was still throwing his weight around where his brothers were concerned and the one person who knew him better than anyone else in the world was her. Leonardo would have found a place for them to lay low and she was the one with the best chance of finding where that was.

And once she did – the turtles were going to _pay._


	6. Stand My Ground

**Author Note: **While writing this chapter, I've been in something of a pit of black despair, so it's not an especially cheerful one. On the other hand, I found actually writing it tremendous fun, the easiest of all the chapters I've done for this story. Part of the reason is the heavy tie-in with a certain episode, making my work easier, but tell the truth I've been looking forward to writing this and the next chapter since I decided the direction to take with this fic.

And news on the next chapter... I have some major exams in a little under three weeks and have to study like a mad creature, or at least find a new and interesting way to cheat, lol. So an update may be slow in coming. I will still be writing as a way to unwind (and do I ever need to unwind! I'm so tense a masseuse would take one look at my back and quit forever) but because I won't have a huge amount of time and the next chapter wants to be even longer than this one, it might take some time. On the plus side, once the exams are done with I'll have nothing to do with my evenings but write fanfics for three whole months! Yay me!

&&&&&&&&&&

Leonardo was sick of it all.

Sick of tip-toeing around Splinter. He had remembered the time when the rat had been all they had known of the world, long before the Foot had got hold of them and Saki had taught them his twisted morals. So why couldn't he bring himself to accept Splinter's help, his honest good intent?

Sick of Mikey's moping around. That was all his fault too. All he had to do was to protect his family and he hadn't even been able to do that. The result was his usually cheerful brothers depression.

Sick of Donnie being the one to bring Mikey out of his misery. Shouldn't _he_ be the one doing that, since it was he unable to protect the family, not able to see what was going on right in front of him, not able to inspire the trust of his brothers until it was too late?

And he was especially sick of arguing with Raphael. Every time the subject of the foot came up, he could feel himself tense up, wanting to do something but for the first time in his life not sure what was for the best. Every comment reminded him of his indecision.

So when Raph began again with all the reasons they should be out looking for the Foot ninja, he lost his temper.

"How many times do we have to go through this Raphael? We're not ready!"

"The hell we ain't!"

"We've got no plan, we haven't been training properly..."

"So we make a plan! How much plannin do we need Leo? Listen ta you, we'll still be plannin when we're thirty!"

"It's stupid to rush into a fight with the Foot! Not to mention dangerous. Last time was a necessity, this is just – pointless vengeance."

"It ain't pointless."

"Shredder's dead."

"And the Foot are still going! Probably being led by Karai..." Raph narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I get it. Karai. She's the reason ya got us hiding."

Leo glared back. "Care to explain that?"

From the couch, Don and Mikey exchanged resigned looks and headed for the kitchen. There was no way either of them could diffuse this particular exchange. All they could do was stand back and wait for the dust to settle.

Raph knew he was going too far, but Leo wasn't the only one tired of the way they were living. "You an her always were _close_. Maybe ya _scared_ to take her on, ya hoping she'll just say 'all is forgiven' and leave us alone? Or ya worried 'bout getting ya shell kicked by ya girlfriend?"

"Take that back Raph."

"Face it, ya spent more time mopin around after her than ya did thinking about us. And now ya think ya can tell us what to do?"

"At least I was training, doing something useful, not wasting my time with the Dragons – I _know_ you got involved with some of their activities so don't try to moralise with me!"

"Right, and Fearless Leader would _never _break the law to follow orders, never fight, never steal, never kill..."

Leonardo snarled with rage and automatically, his hand went to the pommel of his double-bladed sword.

Raph narrowed his eyes, the movement not escaping his attention. "If that's the way ya wanna play it, Fearless..."

_"Enough!"_

Neither turtle broke eye contact, but were aware of the rat approaching.

"This is intolerable! You are supposed to be _family_, yet you would resort to violence over a minor squabble!"

"Stay out of this Splinter," muttered Leo, his anger still focused on Raph.

A blur of movement and suddenly he was flat on his shell. Not knowing how Raph had managed to move so fast, he sat up quickly only to see his brother also sprawled out on the floor of the lair. They both glanced up at Splinter, who had placed himself to one side so he could glare at both of them.

"Raphael... so angry. Why do you insist on pushing your brother away? And Leonardo, if you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, all you can do is be crushed by the worlds weight."

"Forget this. I'm going for a run." Leo jumped to his feet and took off, out of the lair and into the sewers. For a moment he thought one of the others might follow – he knew Mikey and Don had to have been watching although he hadn't seen them – but he wasn't. The sewers were always quiet save for the occasional sound of water and soon he managed to clear his mind a little.

He couldn't believe he had almost drawn his weapons on his brother.

They fought – a lot. That much was true. They were too dissimilar in so many ways and yet alike in that they both had a stubborn streak and refused to back down, even if it would diffuse a bad situation. They had fell to brawling more than once. But never in his life had he even considered trying to seriously injure Raph.

_You're acting just like him. Like Saki._

He had always wanted to emulate his former Sensei, be just like him, able to keep control of the clan and take charge. But this sudden desire to force his brother to do what he said at any cost was one he would never have wanted to imitate...

_The flash of metal in the air, the blood spraying, Mikey's disbelieving expression as the skin of his face sliced apart..._

He had _never_ behaved like that before.

Seeing a manhole nearby, he quickly scaled the ladder and went topside, not even thinking of how often he'd warned the others about doing that. He just needed to _think_, clear his head for a few minutes. Beside, rain was threatening and by the colour of the sky, it was going to be a hell of a storm. Unlikely the Foot would be scouring the city for them in that, thinking they'd be safely hidden away somewhere away from the elements.

Scaling the fire escape of a nearby apartment block, Leo was grateful for the darkened sky, the piercing wind that kept anyone wise indoors. Although it was as dark as evening, it was still daytime and he didn't want any humans spying him, hence the rooftops.

Leaping across several rooftops, he revelled in the freedom that came from practising his skills outside instead of in the enclosed, dank sewers. There was nothing like the fresh air, the height that protected him from being seen, although once he had been terrified of being up high and had to be taught, none too gently, to overcome this fear. To this day, he would look down occasionally and feel that terror threatening to return and be forced to beat it down. To have fear was to have a weakness and weakness was the enemy of the warrior.

He paused on the edge of a building, glancing down at the city below. Down there were millions of people who didn't have a clue they existed and if they did would probably think of them as a threat, hunting them down relentlessly. Their former clan wanted to see them all dead and all he could do was to fight with his brother.

"What is _wrong_ with me?" he said quietly.

Wanting nothing more than to drive the unwelcome thoughts away, he leapt for another rooftop, pushing his limits, concentrating on nothing more than the movements of his body, the innate awareness of the ground beneath him and the area around him. There was no one around to see him as he ran and jumped and flipped...

And then there was.

He sensed some one following him, more than one person. For a fleeting second he suspected his brothers and dismissed the thought. He would know. Instead, as he landed on another rooftop, he risked a glance behind him, knowing even before he looked what he would see.

Foot ninjas. Four of them, not seeming to care about stealth. They were racing toward him and as Leo turned his head back, he realised that the end of the roof was blocked by a utilities building, preventing his leap to the next. He would have to fight.

Leonardo stopped running and turned, removing his double-bladed swords from their sheath and facing off against the Foot. They paused momentarily then rushed him as one. It was a simple matter for him to take them down, letting their own momentum work against them as his punches and kicks felled them and their own attempts at offence were hindered by the proximity of their allies.

Not even breathing hard, Leo prepared to leave in a hurry. He'd never live it down if his brothers found out he'd been topside after all the lectures he'd given them on the subject and run into the Foot on top of everything else. But a sixth sense that he'd developed from years of ninjitsu training alerted him and with a quizzical look, he glanced over to the next building. More Foot ninja on the roof. A lot of Foot ninja.

There was a roll of thunder as the rain began to fall.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"If ya ask me, Leo's losin it," said Raph, grabbing a packet of Dorito's from the woefully inadequate snack stash.

"You taunting him doesn't help," said Don sharply.

"He needs ta start thinking about what the Foot are planning," said Raph, unrepentant. "We shouldn't be hidin down here like cowards."

"And we need a better idea of when to make a move," replied Don. "You know that."

"Yeah, but..." Raph frowned. "I hate waitin. I wanna _do_ somethin about it."

"We all do," said Don. "But we don't have much choice. And it's hard enough to adjust to living here without you making things more difficult."

"When did you turn into Mr Reasonable?"

Don just gave a long-suffering look and Raph sighed. "Fine. I'll apologise to Leo when he gets back."

"I hope he gets back soon," said Don with some concern. "By the sound of the sewer tunnels, it's raining hard out there. Wouldn't do him any good to be caught if one of those tunnels decides to flood and he's in it at the time."

Mikey wandered into the kitchen, spied the Dorito's in Raph's hand and snatched them away. "Come to daddy!"

"Mikey!"

"Come on Raph, you can't eat _all _those!"

"Gimme those!" Don grabbed the Dorito's off Mikey. "Bad enough you hogged the nachos all morning."

"Did not!" Mikey made another grab for the packet. "Did Leo get back yet?"

"Not yet," replied Don, holding the Dorito's out of Mikey's reach. Mikey made another grab for them, Don held them further out of reach and Raph took advantage of the situation by snagging them out of Don's hand and escaping the kitchen.

"RAPH!"

"Come back here!"

Forgetting all about Leo, Don and Mikey chased their brother, both determined to rescue the snacks.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

_Stupid stupid stupid..._

Leo couldn't even count how many Foot ninja there were. Everywhere he looked, there was another one, focused solely on him. Belatedly, he remembered the shell-cell that Don had made for them all – but he had left his back in the lair, too intent on getting out of there to take it with him, too angry.

Too bad.

A group of them jumped onto the rooftop where he stood and he wasted no time in striking, leaping the first and felling him with a kick to the back before he landed, a low sweep knocking over a second. Another rushed him wielding a katana and Leo used his own double-bladed swords to defend himself, bettering the ninja and sending him sprawling into two others. Letting instinct take over, Leo kicked and slashed his way through the other ninja, taking them out as quickly as he could. This was obviously an ambush and he knew his best course of action would be to get the hell away – but there was nowhere for him to go, not on the rooftops surrounded by the enemy.

Breathing heavily, he took down the final ninja with a high kick and surveyed the fallen. Maybe this was his chance – but even as he thought it, he sensed movement behind him and glanced up, seeing more ninja on a rooftop higher up, dressed differently to the Foot. This was new. He had never seen these guys before.

_Maybe Master Saki didn't trust you as much as you liked to believe._

The three new ninja leapt onto the rooftop and Leo drew his swords, ready to fight. They didn't look so tough...

And then they punched the Foot symbol on their chests and vanished.

Leonardo blinked in confusion. Where had they gone? They certainly hadn't hidden in the shadows, there were none. Had he imagined them?

Glancing around in confusion, Leo tried to spy the enemy – and then a punch to the back of his head alerted him to the location of at least one of them. He whirled around, swords at the ready, only to be greeted by empty air.

_Invisible? How can that be?_

Another punch to the back of his head drove him to his knees. Growling in anger, he got up just in time to receive a blow to the plastron that knocked him clean from one rooftop to the next. Startled, he glanced to where the ninja should be, still unable to see his adversary. There was no way anyone could hit like that. There had to be something enhancing the abilities of the ninja for a blow to be that powerful.

_They're toying with me._

Another hit threw him further across the rooftop, his shell hitting the ground and skidding until he fetched up against an electric store. Had it not been there, he would have sailed straight over the edge. Leaping to his feet, he began blindly slashing at the air, hoping that he might at least injure one of them or get an idea where they were. Instead there was a hit to the face, knocking him back on his shell. He got up again, spinning his swords so fast they were a mere blur, trying to work out where the _hell_ they were...

And then they seemed to tire of toying with him. Something unseen took a powerful grip on the strap across his plastron and lifted him. Leo tried to land a kick on the enemy, but none of them landed. If he hadn't seen the ninja before they vanished, he might have believed it was the wind or maybe he'd learned how to fly but not how to steer.

He screamed, his old childhood terror taking over him as he was thrown from the building.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Panthers, rams, bears... hell, they even got dolphins! Ya'd think they'd have room for somethin a little more – reptilian."

Don laughed. "The Turtles? My friend, unfortunately the lowly turtle has been saddled by society with the stereotype of being velocity challenged."

Raph blinked. "Say what?"

Mikey hung over the back of the couch, fresh from practising with his nunchaku and liberated a handful of Dorito's. "Good game?"

"S'OK." Raph didn't glance up from the TV. "Hey Mikey, how many times ya hit yaself in the head today?"

In response, Mikey leaned close to his brother and let out the loudest belch he could. Raph jerked away in disgust, wrinkling his beak.

"Mikey!"

Don laughed and began to applaud, amusement tinged with relief. Mikey finally seemed to be over the worst of the depression that had plagued him since they had left the Foot and was beginning to act like himself.

Raph growled at Mikey in irritation. "Go bug Leo for a while."

"Can't. He's not back yet."

"Leo must be nuts to be in the sewers in this weather," said Don.

"Unless he's not in the sewers," said Raph thoughtfully. "Think he snuck out topside?"

"Leo? Nah. Leo's the one turtle you never have to worry about."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Leo struggled not to give into his terror as he plummeted at high speed, heading straight for asphalt. He had about six seconds before he became pavement pancake. He managed to sheath one of his swords in mid-air, frantically searching for a way to escape the onrushing ground.

Being thrown outwards from the rooftop rather than just dropped saved his life. The building beside the one from which he had been tossed wasn't as many storeys tall and as the rooftop flashed by his sight, he reached out and snatched desperately at the ledge, losing skin but managing to catch his grip. He slammed painfully into the side of the building, hooking his other elbow over the ledge and pulling himself onto the rooftop, heart beating wildly as he glanced down and realised just how close he had been to annihilation.

But there was no time to count his blessings. He could hear footsteps splashing through the waterlogged puddles on the rooftop but could see no one. That meant that the ninja who had thrown him were aware he had survived the fall and were still out to get him.

Sight was only hindering his fighting. Leo took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting his other senses compensate for the one that was missing. The rain beating against his skin seemed sharper, the sound of the raindrops coming into focus, the splashing seeming heavier to his left, coming closer...

He kicked out, this time hitting a ninja across the chest and disabling the device there that allowed invisibility. The ninja sank to his knees but Leonardo saw none of this, concentrating on sound and not sight. A slash with his sword disabled another. The third was trickier, realising what Leo intended, but the slight noise he made when he leapt allowed Leo to guess his plan and leap in the air, slicing with his sword and disabling the cloaking device. As the ninja puzzled over his sudden visibility, the still-blind Leo slammed him with a kick that knocked him down and out. Hearing no more sounds of people, Leo opened his eyes and stared down at his fallen foes. He waited a few seconds and when none of them moved, he bowed and turned his back, sheathing his swords and walking away.

_Time to get back to the lair. I shouldn't have come topside. But now we know the Foot haven't given up..._

He leapt across the rooftop and headed in the direction of home.

Behind him, the Foot Tech ninja he had fought rose and followed.

Leo had barely cleared three buildings before he realised something was amiss. Turning, he spied the three he thought he had dealt with, surrounded by the more conventional Foot ninja. Swords raised, they advanced not to attack, but to herd him closer to the edge of the building. Leo raised his own swords, waiting for the first of them to rush him... then two of the ninja stepped aside for a new player to be introduced.

Hun.

The Shredder's right-hand man stepped forward and Leo was temporarily confused. With Shredder gone, why was Hun here? He and Karai had never gotten along, although it was likely they could put aside their differences to overcome a common foe...

_And why he's here doesn't matter. Time to draw on everything you have. Time to find out who you really are. _

_That is, if you live long enough._

Hun cracked his knuckles and advanced with a chuckle. Leo took up a defensive stance and with a smirk, indicated for the behemoth to bring it on.

Snarling, Hun ripped a ventilation pipe from the roof and sung it at Leo, who met the makeshift weapon with his sword, defending himself from numerous blows before leaping into the air. Hun saw him coming and swung the pipe high, catching Leo and throwing him backward, his momentum destroying a utility shed. Groaning, Leo tried to regain his bearings, knowing only that he was tired, bruised already from his earlier encounters with the Foot and the fall from the apartment block. He was dazed, wanting nothing more than to lie back and wait for his head to clear...

_And if you do that, you WILL die! MOVE!_

He rolled onto his front and picked up his swords. Hun towered above him, the pipe still in his hands, ready to bring it down and neatly crush Leo's skull. With a glare, Leo leapt into the air, flipping neatly over Hun and landing behind him. Hun turned and ran at him, swinging with the pipe. Leonardo sidestepped neatly at the last possible second and Hun ran straight into a chimney block, his forward momentum too great to stop. The chimney was already weakened from age and the elements and the sudden blow proved too much. Mortar crumbled, cracks appeared and Hun barely had time to look up and whimper before he was buried beneath its weight.

The three Foot Tech ninjas wore masks that hid their faces, but were still clearly astounded by the victory. Turning to them, Leo snarled.

"BOO!"

The three backed up far too quickly and fell off the roof before they realised how close to the edge they were. Leo allowed himself a small triumphant grin that soon faded as he ran across the roof. He was bruised, battered, tired. He needed to get away from there before they could call for reinforcements.

Too late.

As he leapt across the rooftops, he became aware of being followed. More Foot ninja. Obviously, they had been called as soon as his location had been discovered.

There was no question of fighting. He was in no condition to and he was heavily outnumbered. As it was, one or two would give him a problem. As many as he saw, there was no way he could win. Instead he fled along the rooftops, occasionally glancing behind him to see if he had lost them yet, his breath rasping harshly in his ears. The Foot Tech ninja and Hun had also recovered from the battle far more quickly than Leo would have hoped, joining in the pursuit. Still, Leo thought he might just be able to keep ahead of them and then maybe he could find some shadow, hide himself, sneak away...

He ran out of rooftops.

As he landed on the roof of a block, he realised there was nowhere left to go. Nowhere within jumping reach, no way down to the ground that he could get to before they would be all over him. This was it. He was going to have to make a stand.

He turned to face them, out of breath, muscles complaining about the enforced workout they had been forced into. The ninja blocked his path and Hun walked through them, pipe still in his hand, the Foot Tech on either side of him.

Leonardo didn't give them the chance to strike the first blow. Instead he leapt among the Foot ninja, slashing, punching, kicking, using his strength and agility to the best of his ability, knowing that the only thing he could do now was fight and hope against hope that he could get out of this alive. He was far more skilled than the other Foot ninja, but he was nearing the end of his endurance, heavily outnumbered against opponents who were fresh and uninjured. They were wearing him down.

But Leo had desperation on his side, determined to stop at nothing to get out of this. Through sheer determination, he managed to vanquish a good portion of the Foot, using their numbers against them by causing them to fall into each other, taking out two or three with a single manouvre rather than one at a time.

Hun narrowed his eyes as incredibly, Leo slowly gained an advantage. Storming toward the turtle, he was taken by surprise as Leo flipped over a TV antennae and pulled the metal back, letting go at the opportune moment to hit Hun full in the face. Hun was knocked temporarily down.

For a moment, Leo was able to catch his breath as Hun put his hand to his face and slowly rose, rage evident in his expression. Then, unbelievably, the anger was replaced by amusement and he chuckled deep in his throat, looking at a point over Leo's shoulder.

Confused, Leo turned his head slightly, aware that it might be some kind of trick. But there was definitely something behind him, on a rooftop out of his reach. Not quite able to fathom what his eyes were telling him, he gazed at the sight.

More ninja he had never seen before that day, clad in red robes and bizarre hats. All carried non-traditional ninja weapons such as tridents and axes, intended for distance use. For a moment none of them moved, then they parted ad Leo's eyes widened as he realised who was with them.

_"Karai."_

Intellectually he had known she would search him out, hunt all of them down until she had avenged her father. Even before they had left the Foot, he was aware that the price for treachery was death and that she wouldn't hesitate to mete out the killing blow.

Intellectually he had known it. But in his heart, he had hoped it wouldn't come to this.

Even from this distance he could sense the coldness in her eyes. She would believe he had betrayed her, would never accept that he had to do what he did, kill the Shredder, to protect his family. To her, he was the betrayer of the family. And she would never forgive him.

Silently he willed her to think about all they had shared together, the times they had been the best of friends, the dreams of the future they had shared that had somehow turned into a nightmare...

_And she never cared about you anyway, she lied to you, lied because that's what the Shredder wanted..._

Narrowing his eyes, Leo judged the distance to the rooftop they were on. He could make it, just about. With a yell, he leapt, swords at the ready and was unsurprised to see Karai flip out of the way and to safety, leaving the other ninja to face him. Or so he thought.

A glancing kick to his shell from Karai knocked him off balance but he managed to recover enough to land on the very edge of the rooftop, parrying forward with his swords to get out of the danger zone as much as to attack. But the swords met empty air as the ninja vanished in a cloud of mist.

"Huh?"

This wasn't like the Foot Tech ninja, who had still been there but invisible. These guys were just – gone.

Turning back to where he had leapt from, he saw arai land near Hun and a moment later, the Foot Elites appeared beside her. Fighting his confusion, Leo struck up a defensive stance. Unlike Don, he felt no urge to puzzle over how he could have seen what he had seen. It had happened and that was enough for now. Time enough later to worry about how they had done that.

Maybe.

Thinking of Don made him wish he hadn't stormed out of the lair like he had. Standing on the rooftop in the rain, facing off alone against his former clan made him suddenly realise what his brothers had needed. Not Fearless Leader ordering them about, but their brother helping them.

Too late to worry about it now, he realised with a sharp pang of regret. If he made it back alive, he would make it up to them. For now, he couldn't afford to allow the distraction. Any moment the Foot could attack, or worse, Karai.

But they showed no interest in advancing. Instead, they all turned to the side and – bowed?

The Foot ninja inclined from the waist, a mark of respect. The Foot Tech and Foot Elites did likewise. Hun followed suit and finally Karai. Of the events of the past few hours, this one confused Leo the most. With Shredder gone, Karai should be leader of the clan. She bowed down to no one.

And then Leo turned to his right and saw what had attracted their attention.

On a rooftop in the distance, illuminated briefly by a flash of lightning, stood the Shredder.

Leonardo's eyes widened in shock. "No..."

The Foot straightened up and returned their attention back to him.

"It can't be... I finished him off myself!"

The Foot Elites vanished in a cloud of mist, but Leo barely noticed. The flash of lightning gave way to darkness, hiding the Shredder from sight and he glanced back at Karai, noting the cold smile she gave him but imagining he saw something in her expression, a note of sadness – or just wishful thinking.

Belatedly, he sensed something behind him and turned to see the Foot Elites had materialised behind him.

There were only four of them, yet they were far more skilled than any of the other Foot ninja he had ever encountered and he was still thrown by the sudden reappearance of the supposedly dead Shredder, weary from his flight across the city, battered from his earlier encounters. They laid into him without mercy, using their weapons to attack, fighting as a unit and staying out of reach of his double edged swords. Whenever he attempted an offence, he was struck from behind. When he tried to defend himself, they would close in to kick and punch, ducking his swords and avoiding his blows.

A heavy axe blow to the shell knocked him to his hands and knees. For a few seconds they ceased as Leo gasped for breath, the knowledge that there was little else he could do playing on his mind. Soon, his brothers would come searching for him and they too would be taken down. He had failed them.

He couldn't fight anymore.

_What am I going to do?_

The answer came to him from the part of his soul that refused to give in.

_Fight anyway._

With an inarticulate cry of rage, he leapt into the air, taking the Foot Elites by surprise, slashing desperately at them, blocking weapons and ducking attacks. It was his last chance and they all knew it, but he would rather fall in battle than to give in to them.

The space in which they fought was small, not allowing the Elites the ideal amount of room for attack and Leo was using the last reserves of strength to hold them off, finding something within him that forced him to keep fighting even though he knew it was already over...

One of the Elites lashed out with a trident and suddenly, Leo's swords were falling through the sky, out of reach, leaving him unarmed and defenseless.

As the Elites moved in, Leonardo had time to regret his recent actions, his lack of understanding and hope that his brothers didn't fall foul of the same fate...

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

April had long since locked the doors of the antique shop and was in her upstairs apartment, grabbing a soda from the fridge for herself and one for Casey, who had been taking a look at the electrical wiring in the kitchen. It had been acting up lately and although she would have preferred Donnie to examine it, she didn't want to drag him away from his family all the time. They had enough to contend with at the moment.

She glanced over to where Casey was standing on a ladder, checking the wires near the bulb. No way was she giving him the soda until he got down. He'd probably electrocute himself. Instead, she placed it on the table and was about to tell him to take a break when her phone rang, her private line rather than the one attached to the shop.

"Hello?"

"Hey April, it's Don."

"Hi Donnie," she said, absurdly pleased to hear from him.

"Tell that little green nerd I'm here doing _his_ job," called Casey.

"Um, Casey says hi," she said.

"Yeah," said Don, sounding distracted. "Um, has Leo been to your place this evening?"

"No – why? Was he supposed to?"

"No, but he left in a temper earlier and he hasn't been back and hasn't taken his shell-cell. We can't find him in the sewer and we're worried he might have gone topside."

"Alone? With the Foot all over the place?"

"He was in a pretty bad mood."

"Sorry Don, I haven't seen him around. But if he shows up I'll..."

April paused suddenly, frowning, convinced she could hear something, outside but coming closer...

_CRASH!_

The window caved inwards, spraying glass across the room and Leonardo landed in the middle of the floor.

_"LEO!"_

Dropping the phone from her numb fingers, April sprinted over to Leonardo, falling to her knees beside him, unmindful of the glass shards sticking into her legs. She cradled his head, noting the way his eyes seemed unable to focus and the terrible bruising and cuts that covered his body.

Casey raced to the window, looking outside, unable to see anything. "What _happened_?"

"He's hurt – bad." April heard her voice shaking and realised she could hear Don's voice shouting from the phone. "Get Don over here right now!"

Casey took a step away from the window and a movement from the corner of his eye made him look outside again. Shadowy figures appeared on the rooftops around the shop, surrounding them totally.

"Oh shit."

Casey backed away to where he had left his golf bag, thanking whatever gods watched over vigilantes that he had brought it with him. He grabbed a baseball bat as he slipped the strap over his shoulders, glancing around the floor for where April had dropped the phone...

They were out of time.

More glass shattered and Foot ninja began pouring into the apartment. April dragged Leo backward, trying to get him out of danger and Casey allowed himself a grim smile. Hurt his friends? These pyjama wearing freaks were about to find out what vigilante justice was all about.

He jumped right over April and Leo, placing himself between them and the Foot, diving straight in to attack.

&&&&&&&&&&

"April! APRIL! What's happening? _APRIL!_"

Raph clenched his fists and stared at Don. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

"_APRIL!_" Don gave up, shoving the shell-cell into his belt. "Something bad's happening. One moment we were talking, the next she was screaming Leo's name and I heard things breaking..."

"So why are we standing here?" Raph took off for the sewers, Mikey in hot pursuit and Don close behind.

"It'll take at least ten minutes to get to April's," said Mikey, his voice filled with worry.

"Not if we run like crazy," said Don firmly, putting on a burst of speed. He alone had heard the way April had screamed and the sounds in the background. He didn't want to alarm the others – but by the sound of things, they might already be too late.


	7. Don't Back Down

_Better stand tall when they're calling you out  
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down..._

'It's my Life', Bon Jovi.

&&&&&&&&

Casey swung his baseball bat at the nearest ninja, disarming him. A second swing dislocated the guys jaw and Casey smirked – but there were more of them pouring through the windows and he knew that he couldn't hold them off for long, not when his only back up consisted of a seriously injured mutant turtle and a woman who obviously had never been in a real fight in her life.

To hell with it. If he was going down, he was going down fighting.

He swung the bat in a wide arc, not really aiming for any ninja in particular but hoping to make them back off enough to make his next move. They ducked out of the way and a shuriken whizzed past his ear, only the force of the swing shifting his balance preventing him from losing an ear.

A kick knocked the bat out of his grip and he took a step back to avoid a blow, grabbing for a golf club as he did so.

"FORE!"

The club hit a ninja in the midriff and Casey took the moment to glance behind him, checking on Leo and April. April had dragged Leo toward the couch and the pair were using it and the wall as a meagre form of protection from the invaders. Leo was flat on his shell, not moving, not speaking and Casey fleetingly wondered if he was going to be alright – then he put his fears to the back of his mind as he was forced to fight for all their lives.

_Where are those guys? I need a little help!_

_The guys..._

Why had they let Leo live in the first place? Why all these ninja against one outmatched vigilante and an untrained woman? Why – unless the target wasn't the humans at all...

"DON!" shouted Casey, hoping the shell-cell was still transmitting from where ever April had dropped it and that the other turtles could still hear him. He raised his golf club to fend off a blow from a katana that cut deeply into the iron and for a second Casey thought it would cut right through and bury into his face. It didn't get that far, but there were no illusions how long his sports gear would last against the weapons the Foot carried.

Yanking the club away, taking the katana with it, Casey slammed it against the head of the ninja with a sickening crack, knocking the weakened portion into a 90 degree angle.

"GUYS, WATCH YOUR BACKS IT'S A TRAP!"

A smash from behind him distracted him momentarily from the ninjas. One of the Foot had got behind him somehow and advanced on April and Leo. If he thought they were easy targets he had just been proved wrong. April had grabbed a lamp, determined to protect Leo, slamming it full force into the ninjas face. Shards of heavy glass stuck through the mask and Casey had time to hope the bastard had lost an eye before a heavy blow to his side knocked him sideways, stumbling and fighting desperately to keep his feet. The golf club was torn from his grip and unarmed, he sidestepped a kick and reached to his golf bag for his rapidly dwindling supply of weapons.

_They're holding back until the others get here – because we're not the targets. They might not have known I'd be here but somehow they knew that April would and her connection to the turtles. They found her out and dumped Leo here knowing she could bring the others right to them._

_We're not the targets. We're the bait._

&&&&&&&&&&

"MOVE!"

Donnie cursed his imagination as he raced through the sewers, urging on his brothers even though he knew they were all going as fast as they could. His mind kept replaying April's scream, the sound of breaking glass, Casey's startled shout in the background – and worst of all, muffled thumps in the background, more things breaking. It sounded as if Leo had run into trouble and it had followed him back to April's.

_Leo wouldn't go to April's if there was a chance he was being followed – some thing's going on, something bad..._

In his hand he clutched the shell-cell, trying to keep it near enough to hear what was happening although running wasn't helping matters any. The brief snatches of sound weren't easing his mind either..

"Here." Raph skidded to a halt beside a ladder leading to a manhole, nimbly leaping up and shoving at the cover. Mikey followed close behind and Don took the moment to press the phone to the side of his head...

"DON!"

The shout made him pause. Casey, definitely, but he sounded distant, as if he were nowhere near the phone. And where was April – or Leo?

"GUYS WATCH YOUR BACKS! IT'S A TRAP!"

"Raph!" Don shouted up the ladder as the manhole cover moved, the usual stealth that the operation entailed absent in their hurry. "Casey says it's a trap!"

"We don't have a choice," growled Raph. "They're in trouble."

"And if Leo's there..." Mikey didn't finish the thought. He didn't have to. None of them were willing to wait and plan, even if it _was _a trap.

Raph jumped out of the sewers, Mikey behind, Don following, not bothering to replace the manhole cover, figuring they might need the escape. The antique shop was visible from their vantage point and even in the dark they could see the apartment windows were all broken and the silhouettes of numerous people.

"I don't see any Foot lying in wait," said Mikey in a low voice.

Raph glanced around. "But they're here. Somewhere."

"Hiding," added Don. "Waiting until we get into the apartment and there's less chance of escape."

Mikey stepped forward, his expression grim. "Let's get Leo out of there."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

A vicious kick to the midriff winded Casey and a moment later a blow to the back drove him to his knees. Gasping for breath, he tried to get back to his feet, glancing sideways at April and Leo. So far none of the Foot had attempted anything after April had driven away the first, as if they sensed their invulnerably and knew it was safe to wait. They were about out of time. The fight was over...

_CRASH!_

The door to the apartment gave way in a shower of splintered wood and a second later Raphael landed in the room, pissed and ready for a fight. The Foot all looked in his direction and started toward him. Raph narrowed his eyes and smirked evilly.

Unfortunately for the ninjas, their attention was solely focused on Raph so when the attack from the rear occurred, it took them precious seconds to work out what was happening. By then, Don and Mike had laid out several of the Foot, Raphael had jumped into the fray and was slicing anything that wore the mark of the Foot and Casey had just about recovered enough to snatch up a fallen bo staff and rejoin the fight.

Raph ducked a katana swipe from a Foot ninja and narrowed his eyes. "Mr Foot - meet Mr Fist!" A moment later, the ninja was flat on his back nursing a broken nose. But still more piled in and Raph was forced to give up on the quips, saving his breath for the fight ahead.

Mikey knocked a ninja aside with a nunchuck to the head and scanned the apartment quickly. Casey was shaken up but seemed mostly unhurt. He spied April peering out from behind the couch, holding someone in her arms that looked like...

"LEO!"

Flipping backward to avoid a katana, Mikey kicked the ninja attacking him in the face mid-flip and dived over to his brother, barely noticing April as he examined the damage to Leo. Although the skin was broken in places, most of the wounds were bruises rather than contusions, suggesting that once Leo had been subdued, the weapons had been put away.

He had been beaten within an inch of his life and thrown through the window of April's apartment to die.

"Donnie! Leo's hurt bad!"

Donatello looked over his shoulder at where Mikey was checking Leo. "Raph, cover me!"

"On it."

Ducking a hail of shuriken, Don knelt beside Leo and saw the extent of his injuries for the first time. He was barely aware of Mikey leaving them to join the fray, or of April's frightened gaze resting on him.

"Leo?"

Leonardo opened his eyes, focusing blearily on Donnie. "Don..."

For the first time ever, Don had no idea what to do. There was always a choice before. In the Foot headquarters there were other people he could call on for help, in other fights they had at least a chance, equal numbers and less opponents, no need to worry about the injured and unarmed. Even when they had left the Foot, there was a plan, he had been able to foresee the problems they might have and prepare for them. But now, there seemed to be nothing. The Foot surrounded them, there was no one to call for help, no back up plan, no hidden surprises. There was only the three of them, their injured brother and the two humans they had dragged into their mess.

"Leo, hush. We're gonna get you out of here bro."

"Donnie, _look out_!"

April's shout interrupted Don's contemplation and he turned in time to see a kama aimed at roughly neck height. He ducked, taking the ninjas feet from beneath him, the part of him that remained detached taking over and realising just how far things would have to go.

He saw Mikey whipping the nunchaku around wildly, taking out Foot ninja easily. Their ranks were thinning, but Don had no illusions as to the possibility that the fight was nearly over – there would be more now that the three turtles had taken the bait. Raph swept his arm in an upward arc, blood spattering up the wall as he opened a ninjas face to the bone before backing up to check on Leo. So intent was he on their fallen brother that he missed seeing the axe aiming for the back of his head. With a shout, Don flew at the ninja, a swing of his _nagitana_ almost severing the guys head from his body.

Another first; Donatello had never killed before, not even in the heat of battle.

Raphael barely realised Don had made the save for him – again – as he approached where Leo lay in April's arms with something approaching dread. Before, he had been too caught up in the fight to notice much about Leo's condition but the closer he got, the more he realised how serious it was.

_Forget this, I'm outta here._

Leo's last words before he left the lair and ran into trouble, angry because he had been arguing with Raphael...

_This is all my fault, my fault that Leo got hurt, my fault that the Foot got the drop on us, all my fault..._

"Raph!" Don used his _nagitana _as a shield against two Foot ninja but their strength was beginning to wear him down.

Raph barely heard, immobilised by anger and shame and fear, nothing existing outside of Leonardo and his injuries, not sure if his brother was even breathing.

"Gah!" Don let go of the _nagitana_, stepping backward and taking on the Foot unarmed. "_Raph_!"

Mikey sidestepped a Foot ninja and grabbed Raph's wrist, the sun and moon daggers hanging slackly from his hand. "Raphael! We can't do anything for him unless we get out of here and without your help, _we're all going to die_!"

Raph shook his head, the familiar anger surging through his veins and replacing the numb inertia that had been there, his eyes narrowing and hands gripping the daggers tightly. "No one's gonna die tonight except the Foot."

He turned and checked the apartment, assessing the situation. Immediately he knew they were in trouble. They were ridiculously outnumbered, trying to protect the injured, tiring while the Foot had chance to recover.

"We have to get _out_ of here!" Don retrieved a baseball bat off the floor and used it to dispose of another Foot ninja.

"How?" Mikey slammed a ninja in the head, with a chuck. "Leo's always the one who comes up with a plan – so what are we supposed to do without a plan?"

"No time for a plan," snarled Raph, glancing over at the window.

"Why not?"

More Foot ninjas leapt through the windows and Mikey tightened his fists around his nunchucks, preparing to take them on.

"We need to leave _now_," announced Don. "Mikey, help April with Leo."

Mikey nodded, keeping his nunchucks in hand as he hurried over to Leo. The leader was conscious but barely; obviously struggling to keep awake. Mikey put Leo's arm over his shoulder, impressed by his brothers sheer force of will. April looped her arm around Leo's waist and helped Mikey guide him through the room.

"April..." Leo spoke weakly. "Leave me. Get away... if you can. This is our fight...our fate..."

"Not my fight?" April's voice was incredulous. "Look Leo, we're all family now. I could _never _run out on you. Let's go"

Mikey met her eyes and managed a tight, worried smile. In spite of the grim situation, he felt strangely happy that this human cared about them, enough to risk her own life and freedom to help.

"Mikey..." Leo's voice was quiet and even close to his brother, Mike had to strain to hear him. "He's back..."

"Who bro?"

"The... Shredder..."

Mikey froze, going cold. Visions of the Shredder's gauntlet ripping through his face overcame him, threatening to overwhelm his resolve. "No. No way. We were all there that night – we all saw you kill him!"

"He's back..." leo coughed weakly and sagged. Mikey tightened his grip on Leo, mind racing. It wasn't possible, of course it wasn't, but maybe someone else had decided to masquerade as Shredder – Karai perhaps. Under that armour, it could have been anyone.

No way could it be the real Shredder – but Leo obviously thought it was.

Across the room, Don was knocked off his feet by a flying kick from a ninja. He landed flat on his shell and his hand brushed against something metallic, the remnants of a golf club with the end sliced off. As the ninja leapt in for the kill, Don swung the club upwards, the end punching through the ninjas stomach and the momentum forcing out of the back. Donnie tried not to gag as blood sprayed over him and he forced the club and its grisly attachment aside. Sitting up, he noticed a baseball bat, another of Casey's weapons, close at hand and grabbed it. His _nagitana_ was nowhere in sight.

Casey swung the bo at another ninja, covering Donnie as he got to his feet. "Hey Don, do you a swap?"

"Here," said Donnie, giving Casey the bat and taking the bo instead. It was weird to be holding something that was not his normal weapon but knew his _nagitana _training meant he was better at it than he would be with the bat and that Casey relied more on strength than style. He swung the bo around, disabling three Foot ninja who had been advancing.

Mikey, April and Leo made it to the door of the apartment and Mikey leaned forward, still supporting his injured brother, and opened it just a crack. Immediately it was thrown open from the other side and Mikey had no time to react before a fist slammed him in the face and he fell, almost taking Leo and April with him. Hun stood in the doorway, his huge frame blocking it totally, grinning and cracking his knuckles.

Leonardo might have been injured, but he was still fast. He kicked out, knocking the door closed and shoved April aside, stumbling and almost falling in the process. A second later, the door was knocked off its hinges as Hun forced his way in.

Raphael saw what was happening and leapt away from the melee he was involved in, aiming straight for Hun. At one time the two had been friends, or as close to it as their individual loyalties would allow, but Raph had no illusions as to how that history would play out now. They were enemies now and forever and Hun wouldn't even blink at killing them, wouldn't feel regret or shame.

Hun glanced up too late to save himself from the kick Raph was aiming straight for his head. The force of the blow made him stagger backwards and he tripped over the edge of the carpet, falling half-in, half-out of the door. Raph glanced over at Leo, who was letting April support him and went over to where Mikey was trying to regain his senses.

"OK bro?"

"I'll live," said Mikey and then wished he hadn't. The way the fight was going and the state Leo was in, who knew if they were going to survive? "Raph – Leo says the Shredder's back."

"No way. We all saw what happened at Foot Headquarters."

"I know, but... what if it's Karai?"

Raph nodded. "Great. Just what we need. Psycho bitch out for revenge. We'll worry about it later."

Mikey glanced behind his brother and Raph turned and lashed out with a sun and moon dagger, almost decapitating the Foot ninja who had tried the sneak attack. "DON! CASEY! MOVE IT!"

Mikey jumped to his feet and knocked Hun flying as the behemoth tried to get to his feet. Hun crashed through the bannister support and there was a yell, cut off abruptly by a crash. "Ladies and gentlemen, run, do not walk, to the nearest exit!"

Glancing through the door to the apartment, Mikey saw no one lying in wait for them and indicated to April to guide Leo through. He wasn't reassured though. He knew the only exit was through the shop and he doubted it would be unguarded.

_And what Leo said about the Shredder..._

Forcing the thought away, Mikey paused for a moment to ensure that April was helping Leo out of the apartment and decided it might be wise to check the stairs leading to the shop. Don and Raph were better fighters than the Foot ninja but they were being gradually worn down by the numbers. It seemed as if every time they put down one ninja, three more took his place.

The stairway was dark and quiet and Mikey had to force himself not to get too hopeful. This was no attack of opportunity – it had been planned. Leo had been returned to them not out of some warped compassion but to demoralise them, hurt their spirits. And it had worked.

Fending off an attack by a Foot ninja, Don glanced around and saw April and Leo leaving, Raph poised to defend them against any attacks from the apartment. Turning, he ran toward the door and out of the corner of his eye noticed Casey follow suit. The three made it to the door but Don realised at once there was going to be a problem. The Foot weren't about to let them leave that easily.

Raph had forced his guilt over Leo aside. There would be time for recriminations later – if there was a later. For the moment, with Fearless incapacitated, he took charge. "Donnie, go after Mikey and Leo. Hun's down there too, watch out."

"On it." Raph vanished, leaving Don and Casey to try to keep the Foot away from the rest of their family.

At the bottom of the stairs, Mikey paused for a moment. The unmoving figure of Hun was lying where he had fallen, the splintered remnants of a table beneath him. Taking a deep breath, he nudged open the door to the shop and looked around.

_It's quiet,_he thought suspiciously, a part of his brain adding, _maybe TOO quiet._

On a first glance, it seemed as if the place was empty... but then he saw the group in the corner and he narrowed his eyes. The Foot Elite. Shredder's best warriors, the group whom the turtles had one day hoped to join – until Splinter opened their eyes. The closest saw Mike and raised his spear threateningly.

There was only one thing to say – something he'd wanted to say for _years_.

"Nice hats!"

And with that he slammed the door closed and headed back up the stairs. Don had nimbly made his way past the much slower Leo and April and met Mike on the third riser.

"Wrong way Mikey!"

"Wrong way my foot! OK, poor choice of words. Major ambush down there!"

"We don't have a choice, they're pouring in through the windows upstairs!"

He pushed his way past Mikey, who tried to stop him in vain. Don threw open the door and raced into the room, weapons at the ready, expecting the whole shop to be full, but the sight of the Elite was somehow worse.

"Nice hats," he said with what he hoped was a placating smile.

Without warning, one of the Elite threw an axe straight at him. He leapt backward out of its way, only to hear it whistling through the air as it somehow _curved_ and came back at him. He threw himself aside, the tip of the axe slicing a cut into his arm and he stumbled, his shell colliding with the wall and causing him to lose his feet. Another Elite hurled a spear straight at his head. Don gasped as he saw the projectile heading his way. At the last second, years of ninja training under the Shredder's tutelage saved his life and at the last second he moved his head, the spear embedding itself into the wall maybe an inch away from him. Ducking under it and toward the door, he yelled, "RAPHIE! We got trouble down here!"

Raph hadn't heard Don use the nickname in years save for a joke and he took it as a bad sign. That and the obvious panic in Don's voice. Unfortunately, he was in no position to go and help his brothers out. He and Casey had got through the door but the Foot had the same idea and holding them back was becoming more and more difficult. The only plus point that Raph could see was that there seemed to be no more coming in through the windows. And all that meant was that their escape from the apartment had not gone unnoticed from the outside and instead their only way out of the shop and to possible safety would be where they attacked next.

"Like I don't got trouble up here!"

Two foot ninjas came at him with katana drawn, two apiece. He'd faced worse odds but not usually when he'd already fought off a ton of ninja. The only time even close to this battle had been escaping the Foot in the first place and that time, they had surprise and a plan. He used his daggers defensively, kicking the ninja aside and hoping their falls would disable others.

"Raph! Casey!" April's voice this time. "The guys ran into something bad in the shop!"

"Hey, I got my hands full up here!"

"I got it Raph!" Casey was growling, blue eyes cold, showing no mercy to the Foot ninja attacking – and obviously having the time of his life.

"Case, you can't take all of 'em!"

"Watch me." Casey swung the bat he was holding at an approaching ninja and it connected with his arm, a _crack_ and a scream indicating that something was broken. Raph nodded, letting concern for his brothers win over. There would be few ninja through the upstairs now. Instead, it would be the exit they were guarding.

_Why do I feel like we're being herded to the shop, like lambs to the slaughter?_

But they didn't have much of a choice. Raph raced down the stairs, vaulting over Leo and April and noting that at least Leo was on his feet, if resting heavily on April, entering the shop and pausing as he saw the Elite. Not so long ago all the turtles had wanted to become an Elite, to be one of Oruku Saki's chosen few and now he wanted to tell them how scummy and dishonourable they were for pulling a sneak attack such as this one...

"Nice hats."

OK, so it wasn't the best insult he'd ever come up with.

"We thought so too," said Mikey.

"Say what you will about the Foot, but they do _not_ skimp on the head gear!" Don smirked, the quips having the desired effect on the Elite as they advanced as one. Saki had always discouraged flippancy in battle and he devoutly hoped the Elite would be distracted by it.

From upstairs came the sound of fierce fighting as Casey took on the remaining Foot ninja. There may be less of them but he was still heavily outnumbered and fatigued by the earlier assaults. He dodged an attack and smashed the bat into the retreating ninjas back, slamming him through the bannister and onto the floor below, but a kick from another knocked the bat from his hands and sent him stumbling dangerously close to the edge...

"Casey?"

_April!_

In the melee, he had almost forgotten she was still there, unarmed, no fighter, trying to protect the wounded Leo. If he didn't get rid of the Foot ninja, she would be their next target as they headed to the turtles and then Leo would be easy pickings.

_Not as long as I'm breathing._

He grabbed the splintered remains of the bannister and broke off a long piece of wood, using it as a club when the ninjas attacked, renewed by the reminder that he was the only thing between the Foot and his defenceless friends.

"Casey, he's getting worse!"

"Don't worry babe," yelled back Casey, taking out another ninja by breaking the wood across his head and snatching up his fallen foes sword. "We're getting outta here!"

"Don't call me babe!"

Raphael smirked at the advancing Foot Elite, spinning his sun and moon daggers until they were just a blur. "We gonna do this or what?"

The opposing sides ran at each other. At first, it seemed as if the turtles would gain the upper hand easily as Don knocked down two Elite, but Raph found himself on the wrong side of a kick and flew backward, forcing Don and Mike to duck so he wouldn't take them with him. He hit the door and groaned, rubbing the back of his head. A second later, Don slammed into the wall nearby. Mikey managed to buy them time enough to recover, using his natural agility to avoid Elite attacks and sending one hurtling into a nearby display case.

Don regained his feet and found himself battling against the Elite with the spear that had nearly been embedded in his skull earlier, wielding his newfound bo with some inexperience but managing to hold up well enough. Dodging the attacks, he winced as the several of the items April sold were knocked to the floor, the more delicate ones smashing. He knew how hard she had worked to re-open the place, how she had hoped to rebuild her life after she had nearly lost it at the hands of Stockman and instead her helping them out had brought this on her head.

"Hey! Try not to wreck the shop!"

The Elite ignored the command, trying to use the spear as a club. Don blocked the blow with his bo and a sweeping kick took the Elite down. "At least – try not to wreck it too badly!"

Raph leapt backward, finding himself shell-to-shell with Mikey as more Elite advanced on them. "I just – need to – catch my breath," he said, painfully aware of how tired he was becoming. They needed to get _away_ but even if they got past the Elite, there was no doubt some other little nasty surprise awaiting them.

He was beginning to realise why Leo had wanted them to wait and plan.

Mikey had no chance to reply as the Elite aimed a punch at him and he neatly stepped out of the way, a hard swing of his nunchaku putting the Elite down – but another was there immediately, forcing Mikey backward to avoid the weapon. He rolled backward over a display counter and took temporary refuge behind a suit of armour – very temporary as the Elite sliced it up in less than three seconds. A forceful hit to the plastron knocked him to the floor, winded and as he looked up, he could see the Elite above him, about to deliver the killing blow...

"Uh-oh."

The bo was knocked from Don's grasp and as he watched it arc through the air, he saw Mikey roll onto his shell, still disoriented, apparently about to be stabbed by the Elite. With a yell, he grabbed the Elite he had been fighting and threw him at the one about to kill Mikey, sending them both into a tangled heap in a corner. Mikey grabbed the bo and stood, he and Don both watching the pair – but a cloud of mist rose up around them and they both vanished. Don and Mikey gasped as the same mist appeared again in the space between them and they had enough presence of mind to back away before the pair of Elite reappeared.

"Did you know they could do that?" asked Mikey accusingly, handing the bo back to Don.

"How would I know they could do that?"

Upstairs, Casey whooped in triumph as the last Foot ninja went down. He was bruised, battered, bleeding – and victorious! Oh yeah! He opened a can of whoop-ass on those pyjama wearing freaks!

But by the sound of it, there were more bad guys waiting. He made his way down the stairs, retrieving the bat he had lost. April was waiting on the bottom riser, Leo leaning heavily on her. She had been right, he did look worse.

"We're gonna get you outta here Leo," he said, to zero response from the turtle. He and April exchanged worried looks before Casey was distracted by a yell – it sounded like Mikey – and a thud, making him hurry to the action.

Faintly she heard his voice drifting in from the shop. "Whoa, nice hats!"

April walked Leo closer to the door to the shop, fear gnawing at her. Not just the invaders into her home, but the terrible truth that Leo, who had always seemed so strong and focused didn't seem aware of his surroundings. He was awake enough to take steps when she moved but couldn't support his own weight and his eyes were most of the way closed.

A bright spark of anger burned in her. These _thugs_ had broken into her home, badly injured her friend who wasn't even out of his teens and even now were destroying the shop she had put all her hopes on after her last job had gone so horribly wrong in an attempt to kill the rest of her friends – her _family_.

And there was nothing she could do about it.

So focused was she on leading Leo to the shop, hoping beyond hope that the guys had created a path to the door, that she didn't notice the figure in the shadows until it had crept up on them. She started, for a moment thinking it was the hulk called Hun – but no, it was a woman, slightly taller than herself, Japanese features composed and calm.

It didn't make April feel any easier. Anyone remaining calm in this mess had to be an enemy. And the symbol of the Foot on her clothes was a dead giveaway too. But it was the look in her eyes more than anything – she had never seen a colder glare than the one the Japanese woman's face.

But she didn't seem in the slightest bit interested in April, addressing the injured turtle instead. "You knew it would come to this Leonardo."

Her voice seemed to rouse Leo into semi-conciousness. "K-Karai..."

"We swore an oath of loyalty to the Foot and you betrayed us."

"I could_ not_... be loyal to a Sensei... with no honour."

"_You_ dare speak to me of _honour_?" Karai gave Leo a scornful glare but made no move to strike. "_You_, who betrayed our Master, who attempted to slay him with a cowardly attack?"

"We were outnumbered by... dozens to one. Who's the coward?"

"You owe everything to him. He gave you everything."

_"He stole our lives!"_

"Not yet."

Faster than April couldn't comprehend, Karai stepped forward and shoving the other woman aside, served Leo a vicious roundhouse kick to the plastron that lifted him off his feet and hurtled him into the shop. From within, she heard a crash as Leo collided with something unyielding and Raph's voice, shouting his brothers name.

April had fallen to the floor when Karai shoved her. Glancing up at the Japanese woman, she thought she could see some expression on her face as she gazed after Leonardo. Whatever it had been – satisfaction? Regret? - it was gone in moments, the cold harsh look returning again.

Clenching her fists, feeling her sensibly short nails digging into her palm, April slowly rose. "Why did you do that? He's injured!"

"Better that he and his brothers be together at their end."

"Leo was right. You, your Master, your entire clan – you're all _cowards_!"

"If you cannot guard your tongue, I shall gladly cut it out for you."

"You _bitch_!" April's anger finally got the better of her as she dived at Karai, common sense temporarily deserting her.

It was no contest. Karai had been trained in ninjitsu since she was a child, had led a branch of the Foot at a young age. April hadn't been in a fight since second grade when Cindy Whittaker called her fart-breath. Karai easily side-stepped April and delivered a kick to her ribs that immediately snapped one, following it up with a nasty punch to the face before April even had the chance to fall.

Crumpling to her knees, April gasped for breath. Karai stared down at her dispassionately. "You should not have gotten involved with this matter. I suggest you leave, while you can."

"I will _not_ abandon my family," retorted April through gritted teeth.

"Brave words. Allow me to remind you that once, I believed the turtles to be a part of my family also. And they betrayed us."

Without a further glance at April, Karai turned and headed up the stairs. In too much pain to think much of it, April forced herself to take shallow breaths. At least one rib broken for sure and her left cheek was going to bruise, she didn't need to see it to realise. But she would get better, assuming any of them lived through this nightmare. The important thing now was to get to the others and _get out._

She forced herself to her feet and to slowly make her way into the shop.

Raphael had been fighting for his life when he heard Leo yell and a moment later, the crunch behind him. He turned to find Leo lying behind him, evidently having just been thrown through the air with enough momentum to hit the pole in the centre of the shop.

"LEO!"

Ignoring the brawl for a moment, Raph hooked his arms under Leo's armpits, trying to guide him away from danger, but Leo wasn't responding, consciousness deserted him. Raph could feel the ugly reality of the future trying to force its way on the frantic urgency of the present...

_Even if we make it outta here alive, Leo might not make it._

_NO! He HAS to! _

At that moment, all Raph wanted to do was to tell his brother he was sorry, he hadn't thought he would push him that far, he wanted to take it back... but he didn't even have a chance to get his brother to safety before the Elite struck again and Raph was forced to ditch Leo on the floor in order to defend them both. He managed to force them away, aided by Mikey and Don who came to his aid and to check on their wounded brother.

The Elite ceased their attack suddenly and Raph took the opportunity to check on Leo, hearing the faint moan as Fearless Leader regained some of his senses. Don and Mikey stood at their side, ready to fend off the Foot – but the attack never came. Instead the door to the shop was kicked off its hinges as the Elite vanished from their places, reappearing in groups beside the entrance. The four turtles stared at the door as the newcomer entered.

The Shredder.

Raphael stared. "Oh crud."

"It's really him," whispered Mikey. "Like Leo said..."

Don glanced at Mikey, who was gazing at Shredder with wide eyes, the scars on his face briefly illuminated in a flash of lightning. _Please don't lose it now Mikey, please..._

"It can't be Shredder," Don said, hating to hear the way his voice sounded so uncertain. "We saw Leo stab him!"

"It... it is him." Leo's voice was hoarse but no less insistent.

The Shredder stepped further over the threshold. "No one opposes the Shredder. And now I will have my revenge for our last encounter! Say farewell to each other – while you still can."

"Guys, I say we shred his butt one last time," said Raph, spinning his daggers. "For Leo. You with me?"

"Til the end," said Don.

"Which hopefully isn't going to be any time soon, right?" Mikey's voice was uncertain, worried.

Raphael leapt at Shredder, who easily sidestepped a potentially lethal swipe of his daggers and sliced upward with his gauntlet, to late for Raph to avoid. The claws punctured his flash, two deep wounds appearing in his left arm. Gasping in pain, Raph left himself open to a left hook to the beak that knocked him to the floor.

Don jumped in a split second later, driving the bo downwards with what he hoped would be crushing force. Shredder ducked, caught the end of the bo and kicked Don in the plastron all in one fluid movement. Don flew backward, hitting the same pole that his Leonardo had been kicked into.

Shredder looked around just in time to see Mikey coming in low and fast. Swinging the bo around, he caught the nunchaku before it could hit him, momentarily bringing him and Michelangelo face to face.

"You realise turtle, that it was your actions that led to this chain of events. Your betrayal of me that led your brothers to their demise."

Mikey narrowed his eyes. "I'm _not _gonna let you hurt my brothers!"

Shoving the Shredder away, Mikey deflected the bo with the chain of his nunchucks, fiercely determined. The last time they had faced the Foot, he had already been so badly hurt that he hadn't been able to do anything but watch helplessly as his brothers defended him. This time he was the only one still standing and there was no way he was going to let Shredder hurt his brothers any further.

But the Shredder was good – _too_ damn good. Mikey had no chance for an offence, too busy defending himself, being forced to back up. The Elite had rejoined the fray and Casey was struggling to hold them off. Don had managed to get back to his feet and begin fighting again, but he was much slower than before and weaponless too. Mikey could see Raph lying behind the Shredder, blood spilling from the wound on his arm, murder in his eyes as he grit his teeth and managed to sit up.

The Shredder again struck with the bo and Mikey blocked, but this time Shredder twisted the bo and the nunchuck flew from Mikey's grip. Before he could grab for the other, a low sweep knocked him from his feet. The Shredder discarded the bo and raised his claw, Mikey putting up his arm in an ineffectual attempt to deflect the strike and wondering if it would hurt as much as the first time...

And the Shredder was knocked aside as Raph attacked with a flying kick. Mikey scrambled to his feet and shot his brother a worried look. Raph was on his feet and fighting true, but he sure didn't look good.

The Shredder crashed backward into a display case and rose slowly, evidently uninjured. He flew forward, not holding back, flooring Raph and Mikey quickly. Raph fought to get to his knees, but his head was swimming and his vision blurred. They were losing.

Don and Casey battled the Foot, but close to exhaustion and heavily outnumbered, they found themselves being beaten down. A nunchuck to the head felled Casey, who landed heavily, stunned. Don punched the ninja in the face, both gratified and nauseated to hear bones breaking, but as soon as he turned around he was greeted by a metallic blur and a kick knocked him half way across the shop, landing near Mikey and Raph.

The Shredder paused for a moment and removed his helmet. Any doubt left in the turtles minds that this Shredder was impersonating Saki was removed as the visage of their former Sensei was revealed, his face showing no emotion at all. "You see me as I really am and it will be the last thing you will ever see. Now _none_ of you will leave here alive!"

Raph blinked, trying to clear his vision. Don and Mikey lay behind him, Leo off to his left. April was clinging to Leo, staring at the Shredder through wide eyes and Casey was rubbing his head, groaning, still not getting up.

The fight was lost. And as the Shredder replaced his helmet and sliced down, lightning reflecting off the claws, Raph knew he was going to be the first to die...

_"NOOOOOO!"_

The Shredder was knocked sideways as he recieved a powerful kick. He staggered for a moment, then a roundhouse kick hit him in the abdomen and sent him crashing through a display of figurines.

The newcomer glanced at the injured turtles and shook his head. "Kids. Always running off somewhere."

Raphael wondered if his vision was still off. "_Splinter_?"

There was no time for Splinter to respond as the Foot ninja attacked the rat, apparently contemptuous of the abilities of one four-foot mutant. Several seemingly effortless swings of a walking stick later and the ninja were laid out on the floor, groaning.

Don got up, going over to Raph to help him to his feet. "Splinter? How did you know we'd be here?"

"Call it trusting your gut," replied Splinter, catching an arrow flying toward his head in mid-air without even seeming to look at it and snapping the projectile in half. A further leap, a spinning kick and several of the Elite were laid out.

Mikey ran back into the fray, the sudden appearance of Splinter giving all three turtles able to fight more hope. Don rushed forward, deftly leapt over an attacking Elite and retrieved the bo Shredder had dropped. There were other weapons around, but he had gotten attached to the staff. Raph gripped both his daggers tightly, hurt but not willing to give up fighting, taking a long sideways look at the battling Splinter. He couldn't quite believe that the old rat had come here, risked himself to help them. The last time he had fought by their side he had good reason to, the only way he would ever escape Foot headquarters. This time, he could have stayed well away from the fight, gone back underground and been safe – but he had saved all their lives. For the moment at least.

The fight continued, with severe blows being dealt to both sides. Shredder rose, his gaze falling on Splinter. The rat sensed the blow the instant before it fell and moved, the claws catching Splinter's ear and cutting deep. With a hiss of pain Splinter lashed out at the Shredder, who parried the attack and aimed a punch, missing as Splinter leapt aside. The rat wasn't as tired as the turtles and was desperately trying to _think_. There seemed to be no way out of this nightmare. They couldn't overcome the numbers against them and the only exit was blocked. And as for their own...

Leonardo was down, seemingly not moving. Raphael was bleeding heavily from the arm, his beak an ugly mess of bruises. Donatello and Michelangelo were nursing their own less serious injuries but obviously fatigued. Casey was up again, not the fighter that the turtles were but making up for it in genuine desire to avenge this attack on them. And April was watching over Leonardo with injuries of her own. Someone had to have noticed the ruckus and soon the authorities would arrive.

Splinter suspected they wouldn't be able to fight their way out of this one.

The rat wasn't the only one who had noticed April guarding over Leo. Hun, having regained his senses since the fall, smashed through the door and glared around the shop. The crash went unnoticed in the brawl and Hun made as if to go for the nearest fight – then stopped, a malicious smirk spreading across his face. The turtles should have been defeated long since but the only thing keeping them going was determination. A blow to their morale should put an end to that...

April looked up as the shadow fell over her, face paling as she saw the huge man grinning down at her. For a second, she considered trying to run, get the hell away – but instead, she tightened her grip on Leo and tried to look threatening.

"You want him? You have to deal with _me_ first!"

_Oh yeah O'Neil, I bet he's shaking in his shoes._

"That's the idea," he growled, cracking his knuckles. "These green freaks have great affection for you. Losing you should take the fight out of them."

April flinched back, closing her eyes in anticipation of a punch...

Which never came. Opening her eyes again, she saw Hun's fist still raised but his attention wasn't on her. Casey had caught the fist and the pair were having a stand off.

"Hun," snarled Casey, raising his bat with his free arm. "_Never_ threaten _HER_!"

Swinging the bat, he hit Hun with a blow that spun the behemoth 360 degrees, following up with a slug he put all his power in. It connected with the back of Hun's head and the skin spilt, the man knocked into a group of approaching Foot ninja.

April smiled slightly. "Casey, I – I..."

"Yeah, well, uh..." Casey tried for nonchalance. Jeez, this awkward moment was much worse than fighting the Foot. "Whatta day, huh? Well, gotta run!"

And he entered the fray again, cursing himself for sounding so lame.

For a moment April forgot about the danger she was in as she stared after Casey, who had just saved her life... and then was jolted back to the present as Leo stirred, trying to get to his feet.

"Leo, no!"

"I have to! They need my – my..." He stumbled and April caught him, grimacing as the movement put pressure on her injured rib. Leo couldn't keep standing and slumped to his knees, April trying to steady him. She sensed rather than heard the person approaching them and looked up, hoping it wasn't Hun back to finish the job Casey had stopped him from doing.

It wasn't. It was worse.

For Leo, it was as if time slowed down. His former Sensei towered above him, right arm raised, poised to strike. Distantly, he heard Mikey shouting his name and wondered if this was how his brother felt the moment before the Shredder maimed him. But Mikey had lived through that day. Leo couldn't move, couldn't fight back, couldn't escape...

_"NOOOOO!"_

Splinter leapt at the Shredder, giving two massive kicks which barely moved the man backwards. The rat was enraged. Trying to wear them down through sheer numbers, wound their spirits, strike fear into them and now this.

"You strike a wounded warrior! You have no _honour_!"

"I fight to win."

Shredder lashed out with his gauntlet, Splinter deftly dodging the blows. But the Shredder was relentless and a metal laced punch caught Splinter in the chest before a roundhouse kick caught him a moment later. There was the audible snap of bone and Splinter sagged against a valuable Queen Anne dresser, barely moving aside in time as the Shredder obliterated it.

Leo watched with helpless anger as Splinter almost fell trying to get out of the way. He suspected the mutant had a broken leg, meaning it would be difficult if not impossible for him to defend himself, let alone the rest of them. As Shredder walked toward Splinter, apparently intended to deliver the killing blow, Leo felt the determination that had always seen him through rising up and ignoring his injuries, scrambled to his feet and ran forward. There was a bookcase beside where the Shredder and Splinter faced off and his shout of defiance alerted the rat to his approach. Splinter leapt backward, pushing off his good leg, getting out of the way. Shredder was too slow and the bookcase crashed on him, burying him under the solid timber that had been used in the days before flat packing was the norm. Rebounding from the force of the shove, Leo let himself fall backward, part of him aware that April had caught him before everything went dark and he finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

Splinter felt his anger dissipate as he realised that his son, whom he had thought wanted little or nothing to do with him, had just sacrificed the last f his strength to save him.

"Leonardo..."

Looking around, Splinter took stock of the situation. The Elite and the Foot ninjas were still in front of the door in great numbers. Michelangelo was surrounded by the Foot, weariness evident in his face but still battling, trying to force a path to freedom. Donatello took a kick to the midriff that knocked him backward, the Foot upon him almost before he had time to rise. Raphael was barely on his feet, slashing at the ninja with his daggers but the lack of strength was evident, blood caking most of the left side of his body. Casey was trying to back him up, but got caught up in a brawl with one ninja that meant he couldn't help when Raph was punched in his already injured beak and knocked across the room.

"No," growled Splinter. "I will _not_ allow you to destroy my family again Oruku Saki."

Raising his voice, he yelled, "RETREAT!"

"That's... great," said Raph, using the wall to help him back to his feet. "But where to?"

Splinter half-hopped, half-limped over to where April was tending to Leonardo, hoping she might be able to help. It was her shop after all. April furrowed her brow, then recalled the only place that might be strong enough to keep them safe.

"Back there!"

"You got it." Mikey leapt over there and yanked open the heavy door. There was enough room for all of them in the room beyond. Running back, he hooked an arm around Raph, leading him to the storage area. "Everybody in here! We can hold them off!"

Letting go of Raph, Mikey raced into the shop, noticing that Don and Casey were holding back the Foot while Splinter and April were trying to drag Leo backwards, neither of them having much luck thanks to their own wounds. He waved them aside, grabbed Leo and got him into the closet himself, Splinter and April following. As soon as Mikey reappeared at the door, Don and Casey fled from the brawl and took refuge with the others. Mike barely waited for them to get in before grabbing the door handle, seeing in the shop the rubble that had been a bookcase erupt and the Shredder burst out. For a moment their eyes met and he felt his courage trying to desert him. Even from this distance, with the helmet in the way, he could sense the malice in them. Gripping the handle so hard his knuckles paled, Mikey dragged the door shut as the Foot ninja stormed toward him, weapons raised. For a heart stopping second he thought he wouldn't make it in time – then the door was closed and they were safe.

For now.

Don took stock of their situation. Himself, Mikey and Casey were battered and worn, but still standing at least, although Casey seemed disoriented, Mikey was bleeding from a number of shallow cuts and he didn't dare to look down and see how badly off he was. April's breathing was rapid and shallow and the side of her face was turning purple. Splinter could barely use his left leg at all and the fur on the side of his head was matted with blood. Raphael too was covered in blood, leaning against a wall and trying to stem the flow with his other hand, his face looking like it had been used for a punching bag. And Leo had lost consciousness and Don was scared to look at him too closely. The last thing he needed now was to succumb to terror.

The room they were in was small, a single bulb illuminating their surroundings, mostly antiques that needed some repair or restoration. There was no other exit save for the one they had entered through.

"Well this is _great_," he said bitterly. "Small, dark and no way out. _Perfect_ for making a last stand."

"It's a walk in cooler," said April, hanging onto Leo possessively. There was no immediate need to keep him protected, not while the Foot were out there and they were within, but she knew they were still in danger and couldn't bring herself to relinquish her self appointed role as his guardian. Not yet. "This shop used to be a grocery store once up on a time."

Raphael looked down at his hands, which were slick with his own blood. "Fascinatin."

Don wanted to tell him to shut the hell up, sarcasm would get them nowhere, but instead he grabbed Raph by the wrist and checked the wound on his arm. It was serious. He needed a whole lot of stitches and by rights, a blood transfusion too. It was only Raph's stubborn streak and the imminent danger they were all in keeping him mostly on his feet.

Mikey, still by the door, put the side of his head to it to listen out. "Getting kinda quiet out there. You think they all just – went home?"

"Yeah Mikey," growled Raph angrily. "We scared 'em off by running into a closet and locking the door!"

Cursing the light-headed feeling he had and the way his legs were trying to betray him by spilling him to the floor, he froze suddenly and sniffed the air. For a moment he thought he had been imagining things, but it was unmistakable."

"I smell smoke."

Don paused and sniffed too. "I smell gas."

"Guys, this door's getting hot." Mikey pulled away and yanked on the handle, dread taking over his mind. "It's jammed – it won't open!"

Casey's eyes widened. He was no scholar, but it didn't take a genius to do the math. _Gas plus flames equals..._

For a second, he was taken back to the night when his fathers store had burned down. It was emblazoned on his memory like a scar. _The flames, the terrifying noise, the screaming, knowing his father was still in there somewhere... the Purple Dragons..._

Ever since that day, he had been overwhelmingly fearful of being caught in a fire, dying the same way his father had, trapped, coughing, feeling the flesh blistering, melting from his bones...

"Guys, let's book! _NOW!_"

Don ran forward to help Mikey with the door, but it was useless. He suspected it had been wedged somehow from the other side. And there was a fire out there. Even if they did get through, could they make it through the shop if it was engulfed in flames?

_Trapped like rats..._

A thud made him turn. Raph had lost his footing and landed heavily on the floor, eyes drooping as he struggled to stay awake.

"Mikey, we need to get out of here!"

"Working on it," snapped Mikey, using his nunchucks as clubs to beat against the door. Don knew it wouldn't be enough.

Casey glanced over at April as she suddenly left Leo's side and ran to a heavy chest sat against the far wall. "What you doin?"

April leaned against the chest, trying to push it aside. "I remember..._urgh_...when we first moved in...there was a hole in the wall... _urgh_ ... where a cooling unit was kept..."

Getting the idea and willing to try anything to avoid burning to death – _like Dad did_ – he joined her and helped her shove it away.

"There!"

Casey flashed a grin as he saw the metal sheet carelessly nailed over the hole, much less secure than the door. "Nice thinking Princess," he shouted, darting over to Raph and liberating a dagger from his belt. Working the blade between the wall and the sheet, he had the hole exposed less than five seconds later.

Hustling April out of the gap, he turned. "That's it – everybody book!" Then he took his own advice and dived headfirst through the hole.

Don grabbed Leo and pulled him through the gap, followed by Splinter and finally Mikey aiding Raph, who was still conscious enough to insist he didn't need the help.

"Move, move!" shouted Mikey, too loudly in Raph's humble opinion, practically dragging Raph away from the shop. Three steps, four, five...

Second Time Around exploded.

The brunt of the explosion went straight up, turning the roof of April's apartment into chunks of flaming debris which rained on the surrounding area. Every window in the building exploded, belching glass at the emergency services who had arrived to help and forcing them to fall back.

The seven in the alley were the closest to the blast.

The noise seemed curiously muted to Raphael, almost unimportant. The heat from the shop, which had been unpleasant a moment ago, suddenly turned unbearably hot as a rush of warm air _shoved _at him. His feet left the floor as he flew backwards, hearing a cry from beside him and realising with sudden panic that he couldn't feel Mikey's arm anymore...

And then his shell hit the wall with bone-jarring force. He slid to the ground as the heat from the initial blast wore off, although it was still unbearably hot, the noise suddenly going from muffled to overwhelming, the scene before him swimming in and out of focus.

He fought the inevitable, but it was no use. As he lost consciousness, his last thought was to wonder what had happened to the rest of his family.

And to blame himself for the whole mess.


	8. In A Darkened Room

**Authors Note: **I would like to say a huge thank you to Hakucho! I was helplessly stuck with this chapter and she answered my pleas and came up with the inspiration for the Dragons scene about three-quarters through the chapter. And as ever, thanks to those who review.

I know I said I was gonna divulge from the series from this chapter, but I had to revisit an idea that was in there. It's done differently and the next chapter has no bearing on any episode. I was gonna put it in here but it was getting a little too long so I cut them up. Meh, enough of my rambling – enjoy!

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

_Casey Jones covered his head as the shop blew. He was trying to run but the blast knocked him off his feet and instead he lay, breathing asphalt and rain water, wondering how badly he was hurt... and how badly his friends were hurt. _

_The main explosion subsided and he cautiously raised his head. The first thing he noticed was that there were no emergency services at the mouth of the alley they were fleeing. A bonus, but that would change soon. Those guys were damn good. _

_Ahead of him he could see April, still on her feet and apparently unharmed by the explosion – but her face had gone slack and she was showing all the signs of shock. It was her home, her life that had just gone up in flames and he supposed he shouldn't be surprised, but he needed her help if any of them were to escape this nightmare. _

_He didn't dare to hope for all of them._

_Turning, he saw Splinter, incredibly on his feet, limping back into the flame filled nightmare. Casey paused – the fire scared him, made him want to get the hell away – but his friends were in there. If he left them now, he could never live with himself. _

_He walked cautiously back into the alley, every step bringing fear into his heart. _

_Ahead of him, he saw Donnie get up and hope rose in his chest. The turtle was breathing hard, but didn't seem to be badly hurt. Beside Don was the limp form of Leo, his unconsciousness aiding his survival through the blast – he had been so limp that he hadn't been injured._

_Further injured. Leo was in bad shape. The noise hadn't done a thing to wake him and Casey felt his fragile hope dimming. That was most of them, but there was still two of them missing..._

_The two closest to the shop when it went up, Raph and Mikey. Raph had been severely injured before the shop went up. What had become of them? _

_Splinter limped past Don and Leo, after a look to satisfy himself that they both breathed, and Casey followed. If they needed help, the rat was in no condition to do so._

_They found the two turtles close to where they had made their escape from the shop. Mikey lay on his side, knocked out cold, a nasty lump growing where he had hit the wall, blisters forming where the flaming debris had struck him. Raph lay close by, blood already trickling down to the ground where he lay, senseless. _

_That left Leo and Raph in dire straits, Mikey unconscious, April in shock, Splinter injured. Casey and Don were the only ones able to help._

"_Casey."_

_Casey turned, rather surprised to find Don behind him._

"_Can you take Leo? We have to get away from here. I'll take Mikey and ... and Raph. Splinter will help April."_

"_Sure thing." Casey was willing to let Don take over as he had no idea what to do. Instead, he made his way over to Leo and grabbed the turtle around the waist, trying to pull him up._

_Don was slowly dragging Mikey and Raph out of the alley. "We need to get away. I need to... their wounds..."_

_Casey understood. "Maybe the sewer first. And then – I've got a place we can go. Out of the city, no one looking for us."_

_Don flashed him a look of pure gratitude. "Can you arrange it?"_

"_Sure, no sweat..."_

"CASEY!"

"Huh?" Casey awoke from his dream, which had been more of a memory and glared at April. "What is it?"

"Is this your Grandma's house?"

Casey blinked, trying not to yawn. After the events of the previous day he had doubted he would ever be able to sleep again, but evidently he owed a lot more to adrenaline than he had originally thought.

"Yeah! This is the place! Just like I remember it!"

April sighed as a shutter fell from the upstairs window and landed on the floor. Just her luck,. Beat up and then rather than a nice clean hospital, she got the farm that time forgot.

"I wonder how the guys are holding up?"

&&&&&&&&

Splinter bowed his head in the trailer they had bought dirt-cheap. It was rusted and old, but it let the five of them travel without question.

Leonardo was still unconscious. Had been so since the shop. No change.

Raphael also was unconscious. Donatello had stitched him up but there was no blood transfusion available or even possible when they had to run so quickly. Splinter knew little of medical matters, bu it looked to be touch and go. Maybe he could live through the wounds.

Maybe.

Michelangelo had come to shortly after they had escaped the alley, dazed but understanding the danger they were in and helping the injured through the sewers. Now he was huddled in a blanket, staring at his brothers with a combination of anxiety and anger. Whom did he blame for what had happen to them? Splinter, for persuading them there was another life out there? Himself, for listening to Splinter? Saki, for orchestrating the attack?

And Donatello, looking after all of them. Concurring with Splinter that they couldn't risk returning to the lair, he had taken over care of his brothers, tightening the makeshift tourniquet on Raph's arm to minimise the blood loss, checking Leonardo over to see if there was anything more they could do.

Casey had really come through for them, arranging both the car and the trailer within two hours of the explosion, even thinking of the blankets they were all wrapped in. The temperature outside was certainly cold and that wouldn't help the wounded. But Donatello insisted that April drive due to the large lump on the back of Casey's head that he suspected was a concussion. By this time, they had managed to rouse her from her shocked state and in spite of a tearful outburst, she had recovered herself remarkably well considering everything she owned was in the shop.

They had stopped only once – long enough for Michelangelo to liberate some medical supplies from a doctors office, closed hours earlier. Donatello had spent most of the drive attending to various wounds, starting by stitching up Raphael and moving on to the others. He declared Splinter's leg to be broken and wrapped it so well that the old rat was surprised. The quiet turtle had managed to astound him several times but this medical knowledge was something he hadn't expected, with them growing up as Foot ninja.

The one thing he had expected was correct; the four were harder, colder than he would have liked. They had banded together to help each other in the shop, but their constant sniping at each other had not gone unnoticed.

And they hadn't told him they were leaving the lair to go after Leonardo. The rat was hurt. True, they had been hurried and weren't used to seeking his help – but they hadn't even thought of him when they needed aid. If he hadn't heard Donatello shouting April's name, he wouldn't have known where to search.

And if he hadn't arrived at the scene when he had, his sons and their friends would all be dead at the hands of the Shredder.

Splinter gave a weary sigh. This time away from the city, he would use to ensure things changed in this family. No matter what he had to do to enforce it.

&&&&&&&&&

Don and Mikey carried their wounded brothers into the house, Don asking Casey if there was some way they could heat the room in a hurry. There was always the risk of hypothermia with extreme blood loss and the room was cold, obviously having been unused for a long time. Casey nodded and went outside, returning a few minutes later with some wood and starting a fire in the grate.

"Always keep some in the shed," he explained. "Saves having to run off chopping wood as soon as I get here."

There was no reply and after a moment, he shrugged and returned to the task at hand.

Mikey laid Leo out on the couch, wrapping the blanket more tightly around his brother and adding his own. Donatello placed Raph in a nearby chair, trying to be careful – but the movement seemed to startle Raph out of his unconscious state and he blearily opened his eyes.

"Raph!" Don immediately started checking the pupils. "How do you feel?"

"Peachy," croaked Raphael. "Thirsty – what does a guy have ta do ta get a glass of water?"

Casey handed him a bottle, having thought of that need too and not trusting the pipes here having not been used in a while. Mikey peered over Don's shoulder and gave Raph his first genuine smile of the day.

"Bro! You're awake!"

Raph glugged at the water gratefully. "Where's Leo?"

Mikey lost his smile. "On the couch. He's still not woken up."

"Still?" Raphael stared at his brothers prone form, starting to get up. "Is he..."

"I don't know Raph," said Don soberly, putting out a hand to stop Raph rising. "But you have to stay where you are and get rest for the next few weeks. You lost a lot of blood and you have to give your body time to recover."

Scowling, Raph slumped back in the chair. Normally he would take out his frustration on his punch bag and now he was supposed to stay away from it for weeks on end?

Belatedly, he realised he couldn't see his punch bag. In fact, he had never been to this place before in his life. "Hey, where are we?"

"Casey's grandma's farmhouse," said April, her weariness showing in her voice. She glanced over at Leo. "Why won't he wake up?"

"It takes time. And he is suffering from more than just physical wounds. His spirit has also been grievously injured." Splinter hovered around Leo, knowing there was little he could do but unwilling to leave, superstitious dread making him fear that the life would leave Leo the moment he turned his back.

"But," he added with a pointed look at the other three turtles. "It is said that the voice of a loved one may guide a lost spirit back to its home."

"I don't think we can get Karai to make a house call," snapped Mikey.

"Can it Mike," growled Raph.

"It can't hurt I suppose," said Don, tentatively approaching Leo's bed. "Hey Leo... it's me, Don."

_Oh yeah, that'll help._

"Listen, you've gotta pull through this. You always come through for us and I know you will again. You have to. You know what kind of trouble we'd get into without you. Like... remember that time I hacked into the security system at Foot headquarters?"

_"It'll be great Leo!" Donnie's voice was full of excitement as he tapped rapidly away on the keyboard. "We'll put in some extra training against the security system and then we're bound to do really good when we spar – and maybe Master Saki will take us out for ice cream!"_

_Leonardo looked at his brother, bemused. Don's recent obsession with ice cream had been subject of many jokes among the four turtles but he somehow doubted Master Saki would take them out in broad daylight for a treat. And they had been warned repeatedly that ninja training took many years. Perfection didn't occur overnight, no matter what they went up against._

_Still... he was seven years old. Focused and serious he may be much of the time, but the chance of an impossible dream actually coming true... improving his sparring AND getting ice cream as a reward? What seven year old mutant turtle could resist such allure?_

_"Master Saki might get mad."_

_"He's never told us not to mess with security," said Don reasonably. "See? All I had to do was unlock the code and the seventy-second floor is our playground!"_

_"Sensei told us we shouldn't go on that floor."_

_"It's the only place we can! And I bet when he finds out how much training we did, he won't be mad!"_

_Leo nodded and the pair hurried off, taking the elevator to the forbidden floor. Donnie's tampering had worked; the corridor was alive with swinging blades. Don paused. Suddenly, his neat idea didn't seem so neat after all. But there was no way he was backing down in front of Leo. The other turtle was always so focused, brave. Don looked up to Leo, although he would never have admitted it to him._

_Instead of turning back, he walked into the corridor, jumping and ducking to avoid the blades. Several feet into the corridor, he broke out into a relieved grin. It was easy! The blades were sharp by the look, but slow moving and easy to avoid. He was going to be a ninja master! And there would be ice cream for sure..._

_His foot seemed to sink slightly into the floor and he glanced down in confusion. Sure enough, the spot beneath his foot had depressed. There was a click from the ground and a sudden whirring noise in the walls and he had a moment to realise he might have set the lightweight weapons to activate – but evidently there were more and he hadn't deactivated them._

_"DONNIE!"_

_Don felt frozen to the spot as he slowly turned his head to the right, seeing a sharp, spinning blade heading his way and knowing he couldn't avoid it..._

_And then something slammed into his shell, knocking him aside. He lay for a second on the floor, half-expecting the blades to split his skull down the middle._

_"MOVE shell-for-brains!" Leo grabbed Don by the wrist and yanked the terrified turtle to his feet, dragging him back in the direction of the elevator. The pair ran back, aware of the additional dangers coming out of the walls, more like something from one of Leo's favourite Indiana Jones films than what they'd expect of their home._

_And then they were in the elevator and out of danger._

_Leonardo hit the button so hard Don thought for a moment he might have broken it – but the door closed and the elevator began its smooth journey to the ground floor._

_Don struggled to get his heart beat back down to normal. "Leo? You know the one that nearly got me?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Did you think it looked a bit like a giant pizza slicer?"_

_Leo gaped at his brother in disbelief._

"You really came through for me that day Leo," said Don, beginning to ramble a little. Leo hadn't responded in the slightest. There was no change in his breathing, no indication that he might have heard. Don wasn't sure what he had hoped for – probably for his brother to get up and announce he was feeling much better – but he had expected something.

"Looks like ya got him hanging on your every word there Don." Raph snorted and sank further into his chair. _All your fault Raphael... all your fault..._

"Let me try!" said Mikey suddenly, with a total reversal of his earlier disdain for the idea. He leapt over to the couch and knelt beside it. "Listen bro. Just like, concentrate on the sound of my voice. You always said if I ever needed to talk to you, you'd listen... remember?"

_Leonardo entered the room quietly, pausing at the threshold and waiting for his brother to look up, give him a cheery smile and suggest video games, perhaps a skateboard through one of the seldom used corridors of Foot headquarters. But Mikey kept his head down, staring at the corner and refusing to meet Leo's eyes. The room was in shadows, the light dimmed until Mikey's form was barely more than a silhouette sat on the bed._

_"Mikey?" _

_Michelangelo didn't tell him to go away but the words weren't needed; the implication was clear in the way he turned around and gazed at the other wall instead._

_"Mikey, look at me."_

_Still no movement. _

_"Mike!" Leonardo walked in and rested a hand on his brothers shell, only for Mikey to pull away. Leo was at a loss what to do. He was only nine years old and felt as if the world had been pulled out from beneath his feet already. _

_"Talk to me, please!"_

_Mikey looked at Leo over his left shoulder and he couldn't help but wince at what he saw. Mikey's face bore two deep, ugly slash marks, the neat surgical stitching not hiding the severity of the disfigurement. They were already freaks; but Mikey stood out among them now as the ugly one, the disfigured one._

_"I don't want to talk about it Leo." _

_"You can't pretend nothing happened..."_

_"It was an accident! It's just a scratch!"_

_"Mikey..." Leonardo had plans to run, to leave, all of them preferably but just him and Mike if need be. He didn't want to see his brothers hurt._

_Mikey had other ideas. _

_"We have training in the morning," said Michelangelo, turning away from Leo._

_"Mikey! We have to do something, get away from here!"_

_"And do what?" Mikey concentrated on the wall. "Go where? We can't exactly contact child services. You other guys – you're all doing well with the Foot. It's only me who needs to change."_

_"I don't want you to change."_

_"Tough rocks. I don't want to talk about it."_

_Leo nodded, knowing that Mikey could see his shadow on the wall. "But if you ever need to talk about it..."_

_"I DON'T want to talk about it!"_

"Maybe I need to talk now," continued Mikey. "I always knew you were there for me when I got the guts to talk about it – without you, I don't know what I'll do!"

"If ya ask me, Leo's not coming back 'cause he's afraid," snarled Raphael suddenly.

"No one asked you," snapped back Mikey.

"He got his butt whooped and now he's too chicken to face it! Well, who _needs_ ya!"

"That's enough!" Don clenched his fists angrily, prepared to go over to Raphael and give him a piece of his mind, recovering from serious injury or not – but changed his mind when he realised he could see tears starting in his brothers eyes. Raphael reacted more strongly than the rest of them to everything, be it anger, frustration or sorrow and he was feeling all of those at that moment.

Raph bowed his head for a moment, fighting to get his emotions under control. He _hated_ to cry, always had done, even as a child.

"Back in the day, I always thought _I'd_ be top turtle. I was strongest, bravest. Leo was too cautious, always insisting on thinking things out. I knew to lead ya need to make split-second decisions but Leo always said wading in wasn't always the best way. Remember that, Fearless Leader?"

_Raphael hurried out of Foot headquarters and took to the rooftops, feeling more secure out of sight of human eyes in spite of his usual Dragons-wear of baggy pants and a hoody. There was something going down that night, something major and although Hun hadn't shared the details, he had asked Raph to be a part of it._

_Oruku Raphael, the only turtle of the four asked to be a part of the Purple Dragons as well as the Foot Clan. Obviously Sensei believed him the only one capable of managing both his ninjitsu training, allegiance to the Foot and take on the lucrative sideline that the Dragons afforded. _

_So why was Leonardo throwing his weight around?_

_That thought dimmed Raph's enthusiasm slightly. They were all the same age but it was obvious that neither Mikey nor Donnie had the drive or desire to be leader. Leonardo was dedicated to his ninjitsu training but spent too long working on tactics and planning ahead when it was obvious to Raph that once a battle was underway, a plan could go all the way to hell with only one unforeseen event and then what else was there to do but rely on split-second decisions?A leader had to think for himself, not follow some pre-arranged schedule._

_It seemed evident to him that the reason Sensei had allowed him to work with both teams and not Leo was because it was he who would be expected to be the turtles leader. He was out getting the connections and experience while Leo was stuck at home, practising his katas. _

_The Dragons meeting place loomed up ahead and Raph dropped silently into an alley before approaching. Inside, there were almost thirty others already there. The mood was optimistic but determined. It might have been a lot more party-like had it not been for the constant, brooding presence of Hun._

_"About time," he said to the young turtle. "Now maybe we can get on with it."_

_The warehouse fell silent as Hun continued, barely having to raise his voice. "We're taking down an armoured car tonight."_

_Raphael felt a frisson of excitement and quelled it, determined to be serious and focused, like a future leader of a group of skilled ninja should be._

_"We'll split into teams." He reeled off a list of names. "You guys are our lookouts. Keep everyone posted. Two-Ton, Spike, Modo, you're backing up Raphael. Raph, it's your job to stop the truck. The rest of you, subdue the guards and grab the cash. Anyone messes up..." he cracked his knuckles menacingly._

_Raph couldn't hold back the grin this time. He was in charge of one of the most important parts of the mission! And Master Saki had to know of his role in the heist, which meant – proof! He WAS supposed to be top turtle!_

_He barely noticed the way the Dragons he was teamed with were angry at him being put in charge and if he had, he wouldn't have cared. They may be older and more experienced as Dragons, but he was a ninja and better able than any of them to pull this off..._

_Then the armoured car turned up and everything turned to shit in a hurry._

_Raph's plan to stop the car had been simple. Force the damn thing off the road. For this, he had Two-Ton and Modo in one car, Spike in another and he would jump in as soon as the car was stopped and attach a signal dampener to the door, probably do some damage with his dagger to the wheel at the same time. Simple and effective; get the job done and get out._

_The truck turned the corner and Raph hissed into the comm-link. "Move out!"_

_He expected to hear the roar of engines from the street but there was only silence. Then Two-Ton came over the link. "The engine won't start!" _

_"What do you mean, the engine won't start?"_

_"I mean, the engine won't start! Battery's dead!" _

_"WHAT! What the fuck were ya doin, playing the radio or somethin?"_

_The silence on the other end told Raph all he needed to know. "Ahhh SHIT!"_

_Spike's car squealed around the corner and headed from the truck. There was a complicated moment when he seemed to realise he had no backup, then the vehicle and the armoured car both hit the brakes and skidded around each other. The armoured car slowed enough to check on the other, but Spike seemed to have lost his nerve and drove away at high speed._

_"SHIT! SHIT!" Raph froze, at a loss of what to do. He didn't have a backup plan. It should have been so simple..._

_And then a figure walked out in front of the armoured car, seeming to stumble drunkenly. The driver was forced once more to hit the brakes and Raph took his chance, leaping down the fire escape and lurking in the shadows as the car screeched, looking like it was going to hit the drunk who had frozen in the glare of the headlights – but in the second before the collision, the drunk had an amazing recovery, leaping skillfully out of the way and vanishing into the night._

_The driver pulled the car to a stop and opened the door to check to see if he had hit anyone, a confused look on his face and Raph leapt at the truck, slamming the signal dampener to the side and yanking the guy out. His buddy reached for the radio, trying to get a message out, but within seconds the Dragons had surrounded the vehicle and the robbery was in progress._

_"Nice job there," commented Hun later on that night. "If you hadn't stepped in front of the truck, we might never have stopped it."_

_Raphael nodded silently, brooding. He couldn't quite bring himself to tell Hun that it hadn't been him who had stopped the truck._

_But he had a good idea who it had been._

_He never brought the subject up with Leo and Leo had never mentioned it. But after that day, Raphael was less likely to argue with Leo about tactics versus action and more likely to let Leo take the lead. Maybe there was some sense in having a back-up plan after all and Raph knew he wasn't the one to come up with it._

"I don't even know why I told ya that story," growled Raph, sliding further in to the seat and pulling the blanket around himself. Suddenly, he was ice cold. "I guess I just – I mean, what I'm trying to say is..."

Splinter glanced over at Raphael. "Your brother hears you and understands."

"What would you know about it?" Raph refused to look at Splinter and the old rat sighed. But it was obvious the turtle was under stress and now would not be the best time to rebuke him. Rather, he could give an example.

"Leonardo. You must gather all your strength and confront your fear, as you did many years ago."

Raph snorted. "Shows what you know. Leo's never been scared of nothing in his life!"

"Not so Raphael."

_Splinter had been out searching for food, returning with very little. Half a pizza thrown away by a passing drunk, a few semi-eaten burgers. The late-night takeaway wasn't the best place to find food but the children had been particularly rambunctious that day and Splinter didn't have the energy to search further afield for supplies. And he was afraid, as he always was, that one of the little ones would awaken and find him gone. It happened on occasion._

_Nearing the lair, he heard a quiet whimpering and picked up the pace. Their home may be safe from the eyes of humans but there were other things in the sewers..._

_The ragged blankets on which the children slept showed only three lumps beneath and Splinter ditched the bag with his finds in at the door, atop a rickety stool where the less intelligent rats couldn't get at it. satisfied that the three in bed were asleep, he followed the whimpering to a dark corner, where partially hidden behind a pipe he discovered..._

_"Leonardo!"_

_The tiny turtle looked up at him through tear-stained eyes. "Sp'inta! Dere!"_

_The rat looked where the turtle pointed a shaking finger, scenting the air cautiously lest intruders had found their sanctuary. "There is nothing there."_

_"Is!" Leo reached out and grabbed Splinter's leg tightly. "Is brack fink!"_

_"Brack fink?" Splinter's linguistic skills were yet to develop fully and he frowned. "I do not understand."_

_"Brack fink! Dere! Haff hands!"_

_Splinter was unnerved by Leonardo's insistence but knew there was nothing in the lair save for five mutants. Carrying the whimpering child on his shoulder, he made as if to go over to the corner – but Leo tightened his arms to a choke hold and began to wail._

_Gasping, Splinter managed to prise the arms looser. "Hush! You will wake your brothers!"_

_"Brack fink eat me," snuffled Leo. _

_Still confused and worried, Splinter stared at the corner. His senses were sharper than his sons and he could see what was there – or rather, what wasn't – better than Leo in spite of the poor light and the strange moving shadows..._

_The shadows that looked a little like a figure, if one were to narrow ones eyes. A moving figure with disproportionately long hands._

_Splinter muffled a chuckle. "Leonardo, there is nothing there. Your 'brack fink' is a shadow."_

_"Dere!"_

_"See?" Splinter set down the resisting turtle and walked over to the corner, reaching out his hand and ignoring Leonardo's frantic, inarticulate warnings. He brushed his hand against the walls, hoping to quell the child's notions._

_"See? Nothing there."_

_"Brack fink dere?" Leonardo clenched his fists and took a few cautious paces forward. Splinter was impressed. He had hoped to settle Leonardo down enough to sleep, but the courage he showed in confronting what he surely saw was astounding from one so young._

_Slowly, Leo reached out, ready to snatch his hand back – then a wide smile broke out on his face._

_"No brack fink dere!"_

_"No brack fink," agreed Splinter, taking his sons outstretched hand and leading him back to the bed._

"You ignored the fear then Leonardo. Do so again."

There was no response from the turtle lying motionless on the couch.

"Well, that worked," muttered Raphael.

Michelangelo strode over to the chair Raph was huddled in. "Do you take _classes_ in how to make things worse?"

"I'm just being a realist here!"

"Mikey, calm down," said Don, grabbing Mikey by the arm and trying to pull him away. "Raph's injured too."

"Hey, I don't need you to look after me Donnie!" snapped Raph.

"Noooo," replied Don with heavy sarcasm. "Because you do _such_ a good job of looking after yourself!"

"Guys..."

The whispered voice cut through their bickering as if it had been shouted. On the couch, Leonardo had opened his eyes and was blinking sleepily at them.

"Do you... have to shout so loud?"

_"LEO!"_

Don and Mikey dived for the couch, mindful of Leo's injuries as they hugged him. In the corner, April and Casey grinned in relief and exchanged hugs of their own. Raph felt his irritation melt away, replaced with a sense of profound relief. Until that moment, he didn't realise how resigned to Leo's death he had become. And how much he blamed himself for it.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and looked over to see Splinter beside him.

"The path to recovery will not be an easy one for him Raphael."

"I guess not," muttered Raph, slightly embarrassed by what he had said to the rat earlier.

"Or for you."

"Hey! I'm not that badly hurt!"

Splinter didn't reply immediately, looking over at the rest of the groups rejoicing. "When things do not go your way, when the four of you should lend each other strength, instead you lash out at each other. All of you. And yet, when one of you is in jeopardy, the rest of you fight for them."

Raph shrugged. "That's what families do."

"No. That is what the Foot Clan does. If you are ever to recover from your experiences with them, the first step is to break this habit. Only then can you become stronger as brothers – as a family."

This was too philosophical for Raphael, who was feeling tired again. "Can we think about it later?"

"Of course," replied Splinter. He didn't doubt there would be much to think about over the coming weeks. But for now they could wait. For now, that all the family were alive and happy was enough.


	9. Wrench

**Author Note:** Apologies for the delay in this chapter... I've been totally snowed under lately! It might be a llittle choppy, although obviously I hope not, because I have had to work on it in bits rather than the 'as much as possible in one sitting' approach that I favour. And my thanks to everyone who reviewed my SAINW fic 'Corrosion'! It was much appreciated.

&&&&&&&

If anyone at the farmhouse was hoping to get back to normal immediately following what had happened at the antiques shop, they were sorely mistaken. Their first real failure. The first time they were ever outmanoeuvred.

Raphael hated being confined to healing. Without Donnie's knowledge, he tried to do some secretive working out but the dizziness that overcame him as soon as he began put paid to that idea. He was forced to wait, patience growing ever thinner. When he was finally able to return to his exercises he was mildly horrified to see how far he had deteriorated in less than a month. He hit the weights with a vengeance, still not up to a full training schedule, his body still replacing the blood that had been lost.

_Weak_. He hated it.

As soon as he was suitably recovered, he found himself sleeping less and less, heading outside before the sun came up and not retiring until everyone else was in bed, guarding the farmhouse. He was determined the Foot wouldn't catch them unawares again. Intellectually he knew it unlikely the Foot had discovered their whereabouts but he had no desire to take that chance.

Donnie was at a loss. He felt needed in his capacity as the only person there who had any kind of medical knowledge but with no access to the outside world he had no clue as to what was happening in New York and that made him nervous. Eventually, he persuaded April to get him a laptop with wireless access – and then found he didn't dare use it. For the meaningless stuff, sure, but he had planned to find how much Shredder knew about their escape. If some one – Stockman for example – were to realise the system had been compromised, then he could give away their whereabouts. Worse, he could feel his need to train diminish. If the Shredder could decimate them when they were at their strongest, then what the hell was the point in fighting back just to get themselves killed? More and more, he used the net to check out other places – Chicago, Florida, Maine, Indiana. Other places they might live. Somewhere they might finally be truly free of the Shredder.

He kept busy by fixing up the farmhouse. The first thing he turned to was the water system, giving them much needed clean and hot water. Gratified by the success and the acclaim he received for it, he began working obsessively at the other things that would make their lives more comfortable, trying to take care of his family in the best way he knew how.

Michelangelo trained.

Whatever sense of humour he may have regained living in the sewers deserted him and upon knowing for sure that Leo and Raph would recover, he withdrew from everyone. He unofficially claimed one of the barns on the property for his own and spent hours every day holed up, working out, practising his ninjitsu and gaining more knowledge of his nunchaku. Prior to the attack on the antiques shop he had been training hard, now he was pushing himself to his limits. Not only did the exercise give him something to focus on, take his mind off things, but the act of _doing something_ about their problems seemed proactive even if it was in an unfocused way.

Leonardo was the slowest to recover from his physical injuries and by the time he was able to leave the couch and start some light exercise, he didn't seem interested in reaching out to the family either. Instead he would brood silently, leaving the farmhouse to spend most of his time in the surrounding woods. If he trained, meditated or merely walked, no one knew. He had changed. Never the most talkative of the turtles, he had sunk into silence, becoming deeply introspective.

Their defeat at the hands of the Shredder disturbed him more than he cared to admit. Had Raphael been right? Should they have hit the Shredder before the Foot could attack them? But – they had all been injured and had not had the time they needed to recover. And with no plan, no teamwork or skills that had not been taught to them by Shredder himself, how could they have hoped to overcome him?

They couldn't. They hadn't been ready when the Shredder struck and if they had attacked first, they wouldn't have been ready then either.

He should have been able to do _something_, prepare his brothers for the upcoming battle... should certainly not have allowed himself to be found by the Foot and beaten.

_I messed up back in New York... I lost my swords..._

_I couldn't protect them._

_I failed._

_It all comes down to the fact that I wasn't good enough..._

Meditation offered no solace. When he would usually push his training limits, he was forced to take things slowly and give his injured body time to heal. The loss of his weapons haunted him. And the knowledge that his family had depended on him for something he hadn't been able to provide.

And yet, he couldn't speak to Mikey about losing his swords, or to Raph about the frustrations of waiting to heal or to Donnie about the fear of letting his brothers down. Couldn't speak to April about losing his home or to Casey about the moment he realised he was in over his head.

And he certainly couldn't address Splinter about the future; both his own and his family's.

Casey spent time trying to cheer everyone, but the turtles resisted his attempts and usually he managed to put his foot in it just when April seemed to be warming to him. She remained depressed about her home and shop, but tried hard not to show it, knowing it could only serve to add to the turtles guilt. She aimed for perky cheer, combined with a determination to aid in the recuperation of her friends and the urge to make the house more livable by taking on the jobs around the house that escaped Donatello's attention as he carried out his grander schemes – most of this involved minor repair work and cleaning. Sometimes Casey would insist on taking on the repairs, which she might have been more grateful for and willing to let him do had he not tried to impress her with his macho attitude and insistence that she was far too frail and feminine to do such work.

_I'm a single woman in the 21st century with a degree in physics _she would think at such times. _What does he THINK I do when a light bulb blows? Call an electrician?_

Unsurprisingly, his willingness to help rarely extended to getting rid of years of accumulated dust and grime. Only one time had he called this 'a woman's job' and his knee would no doubt bother him on rainy days for years to come as a result. Now if he asked April if she needed help, she would usually grab him a bucket of water and a cloth, leaving him to scrub while she fixed things.

Still... he had to admit she was pretty good with a wrench. Thanks to her, the rather temperamental wiring throughout the house had been replaced and she'd taken care of the damp in the kitchen. Grudgingly, he was beginning to admit she might be equally as good as he was at DIY.

Of course, she was nowhere near as good as him when it came to fixing engines.

Initially, Splinter watched events from a distance. A part of him hoped that his sons may be able to fix their differences on their own. At this stage in their lives, he felt – awkward trying to intrude on their clan. He had lived with them for some time prior to the Shredder returning to attack them but he had never been made to feel welcome among them. He had put it down to them trying to get used to each other as brothers rather than teammates and potential rivals. But that had not been an accurate assessment. They had been simply too far apart. They loved one another, that much was obvious due to their quick and total willingness to aid each other, but once immediate danger was passed, they had no clue how to relate.

He decided to intervene.

The first turtle he sought out was Donatello, thinking he might be better able to get through to the most level headed of the four. He found the turtle tinkering with a laptop, trying to make it more powerful. The one that April had brought was pretty basic.

"Donatello."

"Huh? Oh, yeah Splinter?"

"May we speak?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you think you could discard the electronics for now?"

Had Splinter raised the four, he doubted he would have to have asked such a question. Unfortunately he hadn't. And he did not feel confident enough in his position to demand such respect. He had only to hope that Donatello would feel well enough about him to do so.

He half-succeeded. Don put the laptop aside, keeping his hands on the tools. "What's up?"

Splinter sat in front of the turtle, mindful of his leg, which was still in a cast. "I have noticed in this time of healing that you are still keeping a distance."

Don shrugged, obviously itching to get back to his work. "Some things you have to sort out on your own."

"You did a masterful job of looking after your brothers after the fight with the Shredder," said Splinter, not trying to play to Don's pride but to point out an honest fact. "But your brothers are your brothers whether or not they are in immediate jeopardy."

"What are you saying Splinter? Because I'm looking after them right now. If it wasn't for me, they'd have no real water. No light. No heat."

"Your mind is analytical. You see the problem in the immediate need,"

"And your point is?"

"Maybe your brothers are in need of spiritual healing also."

Donatello put the screwdriver aside. "Splinter, I understand what you're trying to say, but don't. I know they're pride's a little hurt, but I can't do anything about that. They need to sort these things out on their own and they know I'm thinking about them or else why would I do all this?"

"Why indeed?" Splinter gave Don a probing look. "I know you think you are looking after your brothers in this way, but they need more than water and light. They need _you_."

"I don't understand. They have me."

"No. They have your thoughts and good wishes, but only you know that. They do not." Splinter rose, surprisingly graceful for someone with one leg in plaster. "You need to reconnect with them as more than their handyman. That you think of yourself as nothing more is a grievous misjudgement of your own abilities."

"I know what I can do!" Donatello glared at Splinter. "I don't think of myself that way, I just – I do what I'm good at. I do what I like!"

"And what distracts you from your troubles. But sometimes trouble is best faced, as you did when you were first in the sewers. And as I told you then, half the battle is fought and won in the mind. Divided, you are already half way to losing any future battle with the Foot."

"We may never fight the Foot again! There's no reason for us to even go back to New York!"

"For yourself perhaps. But do you think your brothers will be as willing to relocate? That they will not wish to avenge what was done to you all? Have you no such desire?"

"I just want to get on with my life," said Don in frustration. "I don't want to get on some kind of carousel where there's nothing in our lives than some vendetta against the Foot."

"Pacifism is admirable Donatello, as is knowing the value of letting things go." Splinter limped to the exit. "But could you live happily if you were to let this one go?"

Don glared at the door as Splinter exited and renewed his endeavours on the laptop, his irritation getting in the way. He knew Splinter was right – there was no way he was letting the Foot get away with what they had done. He had never been one to back away from a fight, although he had never sought one before. If they were to do something about their defeat, the way Shredder had tried to kill them all, then they would all need something more than they had now, they would need...

_A miracle that's what._

Sighing, Don shoved the subject out of his mind and went back to messing with the laptop.

&&&&&&&

Splinter found Michelangelo in the barn, training with an intensity that concerned the rat a little. Mostly because the turtle was isolating himself in a manner that was at odds with his nature. But there was also the matter of ingrained mistakes – although Michelangelo was naturally athletic he was without a teacher and there was no way of him knowing what he was doing correctly or incorrectly. Watching unnoticed, Splinter observed that the scarred turtle tended to over-reach with the nunchaku and his footwork could be sloppy. Against someone like the Shredder, he would leave his side wide open to attack. Against an unmerciful opponent, it would be his undoing.

Splinter stepped out of the shadows, but it was a few moments before Michelangelo noticed him and ceased his katas, frowning. "Was there something you wanted?"

Splinter gave a small smile. "I wondered if we may spar."

Mikey widened his eyes. "Against _you_? No offence, but you're still getting over a broken leg and I'm trying to improve here. Later perhaps."

"I believe I can manage," said Splinter, mildly amused.

"Don;t get me wrong, I know you can fight, but – well, you're not a hundred percent yet and I need to train."

"You are preparing for the Foot?"

Mikey scowled. "They almost killed us. Twice. I won't let it happen again. I can't protect the others if I'm not up to standard."

"It's admirable that you wish to protect your family. Yet you won't let them do the same for you."

"Huh?"

In response, Splinter swung the leg in the cast low, catching Michelangelo off guard. He took a step backward, balance thrown and Splinter followed up with a somewhat awkward leaping kick that hit Mikey in the plastron and knocked him onto his shell. Mikey let his momentum carry him over, flipping back onto his feet and assuming a fighting stance, narrowing his eyes at the old rat.

"What was _that _for? I told you, I don't have time for this!"

"And I am not at my best, as you have pointed out. But watching you, I notice you make the same mistakes over and over. You do not search out your brothers, who may help you improve. And you could help them also. But if you will not, then maybe I can help you."

Michelangelo shrugged. "Fine then. Let's spar."

Splinter knew that Michelangelo was holding back, but was still impressed. The turtle was naturally athletic and the Shredder had obviously been training him constantly through the years. But he had no formal training in the nunchaku and although he wielded them well in spite of this, Splinter recalled his Master Yoshi and how he had used the weapon. Maybe Michelangelo would be open to suggestions on improvements.

Seeing Michelangelo once again leave his left side vulnerable, Splinter moved in and used his walking stick to knock the turtle flying. Grimacing, Mikey glared and got back to his feet. Privately, the turtle had not though the rat could possibly be so good at ninjitsu, due to his years in captivity and his age, in spite of the fact he had seen Splinter fight twice before. Both times, he had been in no position to notice much of his fighting style.

"You are not holding your defence," Splinter said mildly. "Although you have come a long way with the nunchaku in a short time, you are over reaching with them. My Master Yoshi was exceptionally gifted with the nunchaku. Perhaps you will allow me to help?"

"I'm not looking for a new Sensei," said Mikey with a scowl. "Or father."

"I was not attempting to take on such a role," replied Splinter, his calm voice not giving away the hurt he felt at Michelangelo's bluntness. "I merely thought that this may help you to improve, as you are clearly attempting to do."

Michelangelo nodded slowly, replacing his nunchucks in his belt. "OK then. I'll listen. If it'll help."

Splinter smiled. Michelangelo might have been through a lot and had seemingly lost his smile – but maybe it was possible to reach him after all.

"Let me tell you a proverb my Master would often quote, about an ox and a sparrow..."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Darkness lay about the farmhouse, its occupants mostly asleep, if not restfully. In the front of the house, a lone shadow moved, stealthily examining the surrounding areas. Even if one tried to search it out, it would be difficult to spot the movement.

The shadow moved to the rear of the house, almost lost in the darkness, seemingly searching for something – or some_one_. But aside from the shadow, no one else lurked. Satisfied, the shadow easily climbed the side of the farmhouse, ducking into a hiding place on the roof...

"Good evening Raphael."

"Splinter!" Raphael's voice was heavy with annoyance as he made out the rat sitting in a meditation pose on the roof. "Give me a heart attack why doncha?"

"Are you satisfied that our location remains undiscovered?"

"There's no one out there, if that's what ya mean."

Splinter nodded. "Do you believe that the Foot could find us here?"

"They found us at April's," muttered Raph. "Hell, they didn't even know she was still alive! Stockman thought he killed her. There was no way Shredder could have known she was connected to us. So how did he know where to take Leo to bring us all out of hiding? He pieced it together somehow. He might be able to do it again, find out that Casey owns this place. We have to be on guard!"

"True," said Splinter gravely. "They may work out that we are here. But you cannot take on the burden of standing watch over them yourself. Would it not make more sense to ask your brothers to aid you? Perhaps for Donatello to assemble some kind of warning system?"

Raphael shrugged. "I dunno. I wouldn't wanna worry them."

"You think they have not considered the threat of the Foot for themselves? Then why do they act the way they do?"

"Huh? I don't know what you mean."

"You have not noticed that they behave differently?"

"Hell, they've been behaving differently since we left the Foot. Even before that. When we found you existed, _that _was when they all started acting strangely."

"It is true that discovering me was the beginning of great upheaval," said Splinter, not breaking eye contact with Raphael. "Your brothers have reacted to it in different ways, as did you yourself. However, one thing remained common to all of you; that you all were able to turn to each other, to see the troubles that the others were having and to attempt to heal that. Since we have come here, as soon as you were all certain that Leonardo would recover, you withdrew, all of you, and refused to see the spiritual wounds of your brothers or to show them your own."

"Splinter..." Raphael looked away from the rat, over to the darkened woods. "We don't need some big love-in. We need space and time."

"You are partly correct. But what are you hoping for the future? Since you seen sure that the Foot will find you, no matter where you are."

Raph didn't hesitate in his answer. "We have to go back to New York and take on the Shredder, defeat him once and for all."

"I suspected this would be your approach," said Splinter. "But how do you expect to do this?"

"Go to Foot headquarters and start bustin some heads."

"Although you are outnumbered and have spent long weeks recuperating?"

"I've been trainin. And we've been outnumbered before. And they won't be expecting us this time."

"You seem certain that your brothers are as eager as yourself to return."

"Why wouldn't they be? We got some serious payback ta dish out!"

"And you have spoken to them about this?"

"Well – no. But they won't wanna let the Shredder get away with what he did."

"But you have not spoken with them. How can you be sure that they feel the same? Do you know if they too have been in training or if they have other ideas how to proceed?"

Raph glared. "I take the hint. I'll speak to them all about when we go back. In the morning."

"One more thing." Splinter furrowed his brow, hoping that his words would not further alienate the turtle. "Rage is a monster that will consume you from within. You are right to feel anger at Shredder for his actions against you and your brothers. But anger can be misplaced in times of stress. Remember that your brothers have their own way of masking their pain. And that no matter what, you are family and you need each other, now more than ever."

For a moment, Raphael narrowed his eyes and looked as if he might be about to lose his temper. Instead, he just nodded and left the roof, doing one last check of the surrounding area before going back inside. Splinter watched him, barely noticing the cold air. He had spoken to three of his estranged sons, but it remained to be seen if he had made any kind of impression on them. Only one more left.

&&&&&&&&&&

The deer scented the air delicately, taking a few tentative steps forward, checking for safety. Leonardo stood in the cover behind a tree, just watching. Initially, his plan had been to track a deer unseen and attempt to take it down without weapons, honing his skills against a living creature and trying to get by without the weapons that had been an extension of himself since the day Saki had given them to him. But watching the animal, he had decided that tracking it was enough. He had seen too much ugliness recently.

He wondered if the animal sensed him. Certainly it seemed rather cautious, but then Leo hadn't exactly had much experience with wildlife.

There had to be something he could do.

In the past he might have been serious and focused, but he had always managed to remain upbeat. He'd had playful moments, played tricks on his brothers, made jokes, relaxed and found reasons to laugh. Even when they had been forced to relocate to the sewers, when they had all been tense and on edge and getting on each others nerves, he had reasoned that things couldn't be this way forever, that they would find their way through it.

But now – now he didn't know what to think. His brothers had saved his life, with the aid of their friends, but after their dash to the farmhouse, they had all somehow drifted apart. Donnie looked after them physically but emotionally had cut himself off, Mikey spent every day wearing himself out training and Raph slunk around the farmhouse silently, trying to protect them from an unseen menace instead of the very real demons that were tearing them apart.

And Leo... Leo had failed them all by getting them into this mess in the first place.

"Wotcha doing bro?"

Leonardo turned, startled, seeing the deer flick its tail and bound away from the corner of his eye. Raphael emerged from the woods, giving Leo a look he couldn't quite read.

"Save it Raph. I'm not in the mood."

"For what?"

Raphael had spent most of the previous night deep in thought. Sure he wanted to take down the Foot, get revenge for what had been done to them – but as much as he hated to admit it, Splinter had been right. Unless they found a way to work together as a family, they stood no chance against the Foot. And they would have to have a plan, which was Leo or Don's area of expertise, not his. Unless the plan was storming a building and knocking out everyone in sight.

Assuming that Leo ever snapped out of his depression.

"Look, don't need to hear how I messed up back in New York. I let everyone down, I lost my _swords_..." Leo trailed off and turned away. His quiet morning had evaporated and for now, he just wanted to be left alone.

"I wasn't thinking anything like that. I _was_ wondering what you're doing out here."

Leo glared sullenly at the ground. "Nothing."

"Too bad. Because I know what ya _should_ be doing."

There was no response. Leo merely raised an eye ridge and waited for Raphael to continue.

"We need to regroup," said Raph uncertainly, not used to Leo's silence. "If ya haven't noticed, no one's been doing so good since we got here. You're supposed to be Fearless Leader around here – I just hope ya got some kind of plan."

"Plan?" Leo laughed bitterly. "I don't even know if we should be going back there. We got our shells kicked. Perhaps we're better off staying here."

"You're not serious! We owe the Foot some payback and - " Raphael cut himself off abruptly. He was losing his temper with Leo and his moodiness, but to do so would only serve to alienate them further. But he couldn't understand _why_ Leo wasn't more enthusiastic about returning.

"Perhaps we should talk to Don and Mikey before we decide anything like that," he said, fighting his irritation.

"I don't see why they would want to go back either," said Leo. "They're not exactly tied to New York anymore."

"Why don't you ask _them_ what they want?"

Leonardo opened his mouth to make an angry response, knowing exactly the right words to make Raph blow his stack – and then stopped. Getting into a big fight with his brother would help no one, not when Raph was trying to be reasonable for once.

Instead he nodded. "Right. We'll decide together."

Raph smiled at Leo. "Good to have ya back."

Although he wasn't sure Leo _was_ back. He sure didn't seem much like his old self. But maybe he just needed a little more time – or more attention from his brothers.

&&&&&&&&&

Leonardo sat at one chair, arms resting on the table. Mikey sat opposite, chair balanced on the back two legs, still slightly out of breath from the workout that had been disturbed when Leo and Raph got back. Don had a smear of grease on one cheek, a purple bandana tied around his bald head. And Raph was leaning against a wall, idly spinning a dagger around a finger.

"Go back to New York?" Mikey shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought that was a given."

"I've thought we could stay here," said Donnie cautiously. "But I couldn't. I wouldn't feel right knowing the Foot were still out there."

"They could catch up with us at any time," growled Raph. "We'd always be looking over our shoulders!"

"We owe them," said Mikey.

"Agreed," said Leo, still not smiling. "But we're gonna need some kind of plan. Donnie?"

"I can come up with a few surprises," said Don, already staring thoughtfully into the mid-distance.

Leonardo nodded. Truthfully, he hadn't thought that any of them would object to returning but he didn't always know his brothers as well as he thought. Experience had taught him that they were able to keep secrets from him. His goal had been to win back their trust – and then somehow, he had gotten caught up in the everyday struggles of keeping out of sight and making the lair livable and he had lost sight of that. It was time he started working on that again.

"Enough time's passed," he said. "We've let our spirits drift for far too long. If we're going to return to New York any time soon, we've got a lot to do."

He looked around at his brothers. All of them were in thought, silent. They all bore scars from their various encounters with the Foot on their bodies, but Leo couldn't begin to understand the ones that they bore in their mind. He didn't understand his own. He couldn't understand why, instead of being angry and vengeful, he was... afraid.

The family needed to rally together to heal. But Leo doubted they could achieve that on their own.


	10. Fight Or Fall

**Author Note: **Gotta apologise for the lateness - the UK is suffering a heatwave and I am a big puddle. Hard to type while melted! So, hope you like this. Last introspective chapter before we start kicking ass again.

&&&&&&&

Splinter watched as the four turtles emerged from the barn where Michelangelo had previously been spending most of his time. They looked both determined and dejected. Obviously the training session hadn't gone as well as hoped, but nor did they seem about to give up.

Leonardo made his way back to the farmhouse, deep in thought. He hadn't expected them to be on top form after the period of forced recovery and the length of time since they had done any serious sparring against each other, but it had been worse than he had anticipated. His own movements were sluggish and too much exertion got him out of breath and wincing at the lingering pain from his injuries. Raph had obviously been working out but had not balanced that out with a great deal of ninjitsu and as a result was in good shape but with rusty fighting skills. Donnie also had been neglecting ninjitsu and seemed startled at the amount of concentration needed to do what had always come to him easily before. Only Mikey seemed on good form with his katas, but was still inexperienced with the nunchucks.

They had a hell of a lot of work ahead of them and even then, it might not be enough. Everything they knew of fighting, every move they had been taught, all their weapon skills – they had been bestowed upon them by the Shredder. They would have to pull out something unexpected to defeat him and the art of ninjitsu wasn't something they could exactly look up in a book.

Walking into the house, he saw Splinter at the window, looking out. "Is something wrong?"

Splinter turned his head. "You do not seem happy with how your training session has gone."

"It's just going to take some time," said Leo, sounding more confident than he felt. "This was only our first session."

"And yet, you seem concerned."

"I..." Leo sighed. "I'm trying to work out how we can change our fighting styles without starting all over again. Shredder taught us everything we know and we need to take him by surprise."

"I see," said Splinter, with a slight smile. "It is a shame that you do not know anyone else who practices ninjitsu but does not fight like the Shredder."

Leo almost smiled, but settled for raising an eye ridge instead. "I know what you're suggesting Splinter and I don't think it would work. You might have watched your Sensei practice and maybe you did practice and you're pretty good, but we need more than your self-taught methods. No offense."

"I think we should give him a chance," said a voice from the door.

Leo turned to see Mikey leaning against the door frame and frowned. "Just because he can fight doesn't mean he can teach us anything."

"He's been helping me," said Mikey, almost defensively. "Showing me how to use the chucks properly. He knows what he's talking about. It wouldn't kill us to try."

Leonardo opened his mouth to argue, then thought about it and nodded instead. "Fine. We'll try it out. But if it doesn't work, we'll just have to think of something else."

"But not right now," said Mikey hastily. "We only just finished one session – and I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," said Raph, entering the kitchen and giving Mikey a playful punch on the arm.

"I'm a growing turtle!" "

Yeah, you're not careful and the only thing growing'll be your gut."

"Oh ha ha. Listen to the funny mutant."

Splinter smiled at the banter between the two as they went over to the cupboards and began rooting for food. Raphael pulled a tinfoil-wrapped parcel out and looked at it doubtfully. Mikey threw open the cupboards at random, perusing the contents hurriedly and leaving them open as he moved to the next. Spying something, he grabbed it and turned to Raph.

"Check it out. Turtle wax!"

Raph groaned and palmed his face. Splinter chuckled, amused, fighting away the momentary twinge of sadness. How many of these moments had he missed over the years? How many jokes, how many brotherly moments, how many memories?

Something else to blame the Shredder for.

But the past was over and could not be changed. His sons were together, safe, alive. He should be treasuring these times, not mourning the ones that had not seen.

Leonardo was watching them too, not quite smiling but seeming humoured by the exchange. Splinter lost his smile. The leader seemed harder than he had done before. He had been tough, stubborn, but never as angry and bitter.

Donatello chose that moment to enter, a book in his hand. "Anything to eat around here?"

"It's Mikey's turn to cook," said Raph promptly.

"Why is it always my turn?" asked Mikey.

"Because Leo there could burn water," smirked Raph. "And Donnie treats it like a chemistry project – the more explosions, the better."

"And Raph thinks nutrition begins and ends with noodles," added Don.

Mikey gave an exaggerated sigh. "It's tough being the _only_ turtle around here who knows how to cook."

"You get enough practice – ya never stop eating," said Raph.

"I'll make something extra-special for you," said Mikey. "Some one pass the arsenic."

"Hey!"

Don grinned. He didn't realise how much he had missed just joining in with teasing his brothers. If only they could get Leo to join in, it would be like old times. The four of them, joking around and laughing...

And the threat of the Shredder, Oruku Saki, still hanging over their heads.

Abruptly, Leo walked out of the kitchen. Don watched him with a thoughtful frown on his face. Mikey glanced after him, rubbing his scars, before turning his attention back to the food. And Raphael momentarily debated going after him before deciding it wasn't the time.

Splinter frowned. None of the turtles seemed inclined to go after Leonardo and he found that somewhat worrying. Although it was possible that Leonardo merely needed time to himself, it seemed to him that the turtle would benefit more from a friendly ear.

Unfortunately, that ear would be unlikely to come from him. His attempts at bonding with Leonardo had been met with disinterest. The turtle was polite and respectful but had made it clear he did not look upon Splinter as a member of his family. Maybe that would change in time, but the more Leonardo cut himself off, the less likely it was that he would consider opening himself up in the future.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Meditation is an important part of Bushido," Splinter told them. He had chosen to use the barn as the place to impart some of his Sensei's teachings, hoping that the distance from their human allies and the familiarity and associations of the barn would encourage them. He had won Michelangelo over but both Leonardo and Raphael seemed dubious and Donatello was inscrutable.

"Saki already taught us how to meditate," said Leonardo.

"Maybe," said Splinter. "But how often have you done so since leaving the Foot?"

"Um..." Mikey gave his most innocent grin. "Reading comic books is a _little_ like meditating, right?"

Splinter fought back a chuckle. Of all the turtles, Michelangelo had been the one who had most benefited from their stay at the farmhouse. He had cheered up, come out of himself and reminded Splinter of the toddler turtle he had once been. And in spite of his initial reluctance, he had been the one to make Splinter feel at home.

"I'm afraid not. Meditation takes a great amount of focus, focus which I know all of you possess. I have seen you all attain such concentration in other things and believe you would all benefit from applying it to your meditation."

Raph shrugged. "But it's like Leo said, we already know how to meditate."

"But thus far, none of you have achieved the very thing that meditation is to aid. To find outer strength through inner balance."

"Are you sure that's not the other way around?" asked Mikey.

Splinter gave him a stern look and Mikey shut up. "Ninja is not just of the body, but of the mind. This lesson is one of the most important of ninjitsu and yet Oruku Saki has seen it adequate to teach you merely a relaxation technique. You must spend many hours in meditation."

"We usually have candles," said Donnie.

"A true ninja has no need of external aids. The candle is something to focus on, but now you must be able to achieve serenity through your own will."

Don, Raph and Mikey exchanged glances and shrugs before shrugging and closing their eyes.

Leonardo took a moment to hold Splinter's gaze, trying to read the rats intentions but seeing nothing more than the same cool regard mirrored back at him. "Do you really think you can help us?"

"I believe I can teach you to help yourselves. If you are willing to let me."

Leonardo nodded. "I'll do what I have to. To protect this family."

"As shall I," replied Splinter gravely.

Leonardo closed his eyes and the session began. Once he was sure they had all achieved the concentration necessary to block out their surroundings, Splinter regarded the four of them without their knowledge. He recognised Michelangelo's search for happiness for both himself and his family, welcomed this new part of his character. Donatello's determination to make his brothers suffer less than they had to in the best way he knew how. Raphael guiding the pair of them while Leonardo had been unable, taking care of them through his determination to protect them. The three of them had taken the steps needed to become a closer family and although not there yet, had become more close knit since leaving New York.

Of all of them, Leonardo worried him the most. He had hardened since the Shredder's cowardly attack, become colder and less trusting. He too wanted to protect his family, do his best for them – but was doing so at the expense of their affection. He was sacrificing their friendship and brotherhood for their safety and seemed unable to believe that he could both ensure their well being and have their love too.

But the lesson had been learned and Leonardo had always taken advice on board. The Shredder had demonstrated that as soon as emotion took over, the family would fall. Leonardo had let emotion drive him, rescuing Michelangelo and Splinter himself, hiding them, Being unwilling to immediately face the Foot, leaving the sewers alone in the first place – and it had got him, all of them, nearly killed. Or that at least was how Leonardo saw it. The Shredder had provided for them until the moment emotions had become involved. And then things had changed.

The four of them – all four of them – needed to become a unit again. And it wasn't the training that would prove the hardest part of their preparation for the Shredder, but learning to trust one another. The Shredder could not be defeated if they weren't able to build their group spirit. Splinter rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He had some ideas how to counteract their rift. Whether or not it worked was another matter altogether.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"You require collective focus," said Splinter, a few days after the meditation session. He had been quite pleased at the way things had been going. The turtles had seemed more at ease with each other outside of training sessions, often seeking each other out to spend time together. And they all seemed less likely to isolate themselves. Donatello spent less time browsing the internet or tinkering with gadgets and when he did, he didn't seem to mind people being with him, particularly April who would help him with whatever he was doing, whereas before he would politely but pointedly ask them to leave. Michelangelo had ceased spending all his free time training, seeming to see the work he did with his brothers as adequate and instead could often be found joking around, wandering the woods or completely engrossed in a television show. Raphael seemed to have relaxed about the Foot finding them, still checking the property as soon as he woke and before he slept, but not staying up all night to do so or waking early to be certain. He also spent more and more time with Casey, messing with April's ancient van or wrestling.

All three of them still had their melancholy moments. Donatello would hole himself up sometimes, Michelangelo occasionally went off on his own, Raphael had been known to get up in the night just to make sure the area was secure. But those times were getting less and Splinter was aware that everyone needed time alone, away from their family, just to reflect.

Only Leonardo seemed to be becoming even more isolated, introverted. He trained as if possessed and since Splinter had taught them the true benefits of meditation, had spent most of his free time doing so.

"You must work harder!"

"He's worse than Saki was!" Raph complained when he thought Splinter couldn't hear him.

"No one could be worse than Saki," muttered Mikey.

"I know what he means though," said Donnie ruefully. "We're working as hard as we can! What else can we do?"

"Work harder," replied Leo.

And so they did. In the following weeks, they trained, sparred and meditated at Splinter's direction. That it was Leonardo who was most dedicated to improving although he had been the one most resistant to Splinter attempting their training had not gone unnoticed by anyone. Once he had accepted that Splinter might have something to teach, he had been more than willing to listen. The old rat just hoped it might carry over when he tried to talk to Leonardo about his change in attitude.

Splinter found Leonardo alone one day, several weeks after they had begun training under him. Their marked improvement in ninjitsu had pleased all of them, except the leader it seemed. Leonardo sat in the barn that Michelangelo rarely used to over train anymore, meditating, eyes closed.

"Is there something I can help you with Splinter?"

The rat sat cross-legged opposite the turtle, unsurprised that his presence had been sensed. He had wanted the teen to know he was there after all. "I wish to speak with you regarding your behaviour."

Leonardo opened his eyes. "I don't understand."

Splinter laid his walking stick across his knees. "A long time ago, before the Foot raided our meagre lair and forcibly removed us all from it, I made many observations about all of you. You Leonardo were always the most protective of your family. You insisted on sleeping closest to the exits in order that you might be able to shield them from anything that entered uninvited. When they strayed too close to the exits or the sewer water, it was you who would pull them back and refuse to take no for an answer, even though your brothers were rarely grateful for it. And yet, you were also a part of their unit, playing together, talking together when I could barely understand your childish chatter. In some respects you have remained the same as that child, still protective even when it gains you nothing but disdain. Yet in other ways, you have changed. And not for the better."

"I'm different than I was as a toddler?" Leonardo snorted. "Who isn't?"

"You deliberately misunderstand me. When first we spoke, when I was still imprisoned, you seemed hurt that you had been left out of the secret that your brothers shared. But you worked to regain their trust and you succeeded. And you have repaid them this by not trusting them in return."

"But – but that's not true! I _do_ trust them! With my _life_!"

"But not their own." Splinter regarded Leonardo gravely. "You choose to carry your burden alone. When your brothers reach out to you, you choose to turn your back. You have no qualms about laying down your own life to save theirs, yet you cannot give them what they need from you the most. This is not entirely your fault, I do understand this. You have been raised to believe that ultimately, no matter how close your family is, you cannot rely upon them wholly, that you must keep your secrets. Your experience is that the Sensei must use intimidation and fear to gain respect and that effective leadership rarely has understanding or kindness. You are not ruthless or cruel by nature and it is for this reason that you choose instead to detach yourself from your brothers. And this may well lead to your downfall should you decide to return to New York and face the Foot." "

I..." Leonardo shook his head. "I don't claim to be perfect."

"But you expect yourself to be. You must accept that you do the best you can and let the other things pass. Or else true happiness and the balance you seek will be always beyond your reach."

Splinter rose and walked from the barn, not sure that he had done any good but hoping that Leonardo would realise his path was not helping his brothers in the slightest. Words were often not enough, but they were all that Splinter had. He just had to hope that they were enough.

Leonardo watched Splinter leave and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. It failed. Instead, he made a fist and hit the floor hard.

_Stupid rat... he just doesn't get it!_

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

_Three months previously..._

_"Nothing?" Oruku Saki slammed his hand against the table at which he had been observing the traditional Japanese tea ceremony before Stockman had intruded. "You're telling me that in spite of their injuries, in spite of the explosion, that there is NOTHING?"_

_Stockman swallowed nervously. He had heard all about Saki's legendary ill tempers. "I'm afraid not. There is a large amount of turtle DNA in the area, but nothing to suggest that all the turtles were killed in the antiques store. It comes mostly from blood and although it is too badly damaged to determine if the samples are all from the same turtle, there's simply nothing to indicate that four turtles perished. I suspect at least one did, due to the large quantities..."_

_"Suspicion," sneered Saki. "I cannot base my strategies upon your suspicion!"_

_"Uh..." Stockman referred again to his notes. "Also, although there is some human DNA present, it is simply impossible to know if this is from either my erstwhile former assistant and her vigilante friend or merely a collection of samples from the Foot ninjas who were injured or killed in the store."_

_Saki narrowed his eyes. "I gave you money, a state of the art laboratory, the many things you insisted you needed in order to better serve me. And yet, you are unable to tell me if my enemies are dead or alive?"_

_Making what might just turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life, Stockman sniffed imperiously and straightened his tie, dismissing Saki's words. "Science can only do so much, once some fool has decided to subject my samples to such intense heat. That I was able to deduce as much as I was is an indication of my superiority in the field. Another scientist would have been able to tell you little more than that blood was present. It is thanks to me that you know your enemies are grievously wounded."_

_"And an animal that has been wounded is likely to turn vicious and attack through blind rage and pain." Unnoticed, Saki pressed a button located beneath the table, outwardly remaining calm. "The facts remain the same Dr Stockman. You have failed to deliver what I wanted from you."_

_"The sheer impossibility of the task should be obvious," whined Stockman, not realising that the door behind him had slid open, revealing the massive bulk that was Hun, still bruised and battered from his fight at Second Time Around and dying to take his bad mood out on someone. "And were it not for me, you would have had no idea where to lay your trap. It was I who linked April with Donatello. If anyone is to blame for the trap going awry, it is not me."_

_A hand fell on his shoulder._

_Startled, Stockman turned his head and realised he was in deep shit._

_"What? No! Get your hands off me, you OAF!"_

_"Take him away," said Saki with a dismissive wave of his hand. "And ensure he is punished for this recent failure."_

_"NO!" Stockman struggled uselessly against the sheer strength of Hun. "No, I did not fail! I gave them to you on a plate! I analysed those samples better than anyone else could have! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"_

_Stockman's shrieks were abruptly cut off as the door closed. Saki closed his eyes briefly and thought about the problem that the turtles presented._

_They were not all dead. At least one or two of them remained alive, as no doubt did the rat. They would be preparing to strike at him in retribution for the attack at the antiques store. _

_But when?_

_They were injured, all of them. He had broken the rats leg himself, had seen the damage done to Raphael. Michelangelo and Donatello had fared better in the fight but had been in need of recuperation themselves. And judging by what he had seen of Leonardo, he doubted their leader would have lasted through the night._

_When they did strike, they would be without their leader, blinded by anger over their losses. They would strike without thinking, wanting nothing more than retribution. And they would fail. __T_

_he rat was an unknown quantity. The numbers were an unknown quantity. But his success was assured. They knew nothing more than what he had taught them of fighting and their hearts would be heavy. They had grown up in the skyscraper, but they had no idea of all of its secrets._

_Or all of his._

_Michelangelo, if he lived, would be the first to die. Saki believed the turtle to be alive. He should have been cowed, afraid of his Sensei as he always had been. Instead he had fought back. Disrespect. Saki's most hated trait in anyone. _

_Donatello could watch. He suspected the brains of the operation would have lived. It seemed inconceivable, he had trapped them, but if anyone could get them out of such a situation, it would have to be Donatello. The turtle was well able to rely on his brawn – but he preferred to use his brain. That would be his undoing. _

_There was no way Raphael could have lived, surely. He had been leaking blood all over the floor, barely able to stand. Saki had to give grudging respect to the turtles sheer guts for remaining on his feet as long as he had. And if by some miracle he had survived, he would be the one most likely to lose control when face to face with Saki. To strike in anger was to surrender control of the situation and without control, a ninja was lost._

_And Leonardo. Dead. Without their leader, the others would fall. None of the others were capable of taking on the mantle of responsibility, although Raphael had foolishly thought that he would be the one chosen by Saki to do so. _

_They would recover, one or two or three of them, it hardly mattered. They would attack in weeks or months or years and Saki would take them down easily. He was prepared for them._

_And he would let the rat see the family he had fought so hard to protect as infants and as teens be slaughtered before he cut the rodent down too._

&&&&&&&&

"Guys."

The three turtles turned to look at Leonardo as he entered the living room. Prior to that they had been playing Trivial Pursuit with April and Casey. Donnie was winning. Casey was way behind and unhappy about it. Splinter had declined to join them, choosing instead to meditate in front of the fire. Although his posture hadn't changed, they all knew he was paying attention. It was almost a week since Leonardo and Splinter had their little talk and Leo had thought a lot about what Splinter had said. He wasn't sure he could change. Wasn't sure if he even wanted to. But one thing he did know; doing so would be easier with the immediate threat of the Shredder removed from their lives.

"It's time to go back to New York."

Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo exchanged looks with each other, silently agreeing. As much as they had enjoyed the time away from thinking about their problems, they had always known it was going to come down to returning.

April bit her lip. She had been suffering nightmares since the night the Foot had broken into her home and destroyed it. Being at the farmhouse meant escaping reality and to go back to New York was to deal with that. She had never been one to run from her problems – but this one was so huge, so impossible, so hard to deal with, that she wasn't sure she was ready.

Casey smirked. About time! He had been going crazy stuck out here at the farmhouse, even knowing that they all had to recover. He was looking forward to getting revenge on the pyjama guys that had broke into April's place – the Foot – and to get back to taking the Dragons down. It was after all, his mission in life.

Splinter furrowed his brow. He had not been able to speak to Leonardo alone since their discussion in the barn and did not know how the turtle was dealing with his words. The training sessions of late did not suggest a change but then, although change was the only constant in life, it did not always come overnight. He had his doubts that this was the best time to return home and face their enemy.

But it was not his role to tell them. He knew that his training them had given them more trust in him and allowed him closer to them – but ultimately, they did not hold him in the same regard as they did each other. They did not see him as their father.

"We're with ya bro," said Raphael, breaking the silence.

"All the way," added Donatello.

"One hundred per cent," finished Michelangelo.

Leonardo nodded, still solemn. "Maybe you should think about getting stuff together. There's something I have to take care of before we leave."

"Like what?" asked Mikey.

Leonardo had already turned to leave, but he paused to call back over his shoulder.

"I need some weapons."


	11. Eve Of Destruction

**Author Note: **I have to apologise for the delay in posting htis chapter! I hate writers block witht he fiery passion of a thousand suns - but cannot conquer it! Until now that is. I devoutly hope that updates will be more frequent from now on, as there is not much more of this tale to go. I think one or two chapters (depending on the length) and an epilogue. So here it is! Enjoy!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was raining as they returned to New York City.

April's van was running better than it had in years, thanks to the tinkering with the engine by Don, Raph and Casey. The vehicle barely made a sound and within the van, the light hearted banter had given way to introspective silence ever since they hit the NYC boundary.

They passed the ruins of Second Time Around as they drove through the streets. April glanced at the rubble and quickly looked away. She had thought that she had adjusted to her loss, but seeing the devastation still brought a rush of sorrow. There was no way she could afford to rebuild. In one night she had been rendered homeless, jobless and without her possessions.

But she was alive. All of them were. And that was what was important.

An alley loomed ahead and April parked the van, shutting off the engine and pausing for a moment. Being at the farmhouse had given her a respite from the worries of losing her home and recovering from her injuries. She had been able to put future plans on indefinite hiatus. But now they were back, she was going to have to think of something.

First things first. Get some rest, deal with the Foot and the Shredder. Then she could think about rebuilding the rest of her life.

The turtles jumped out of the van, blending into the shadows easily. Splinter followed them, moving more easily since the cast had come off his leg, hiding so skillfully that had April not known he was there, she would never have been able to see him.

Casey clambered out of the passenger side, glancing ruefully at the sky as if he could stop the rain through sheer irritation and letting out a sigh. April smiled. That was typical Casey. She was quite surprised to have grown so attached to the annoying oaf, but she had come to realise that beneath the macho veneer lay a good hearted person. Honest to the point of bluntness, cheerful to the point of crudity, but essentially a decent man. Or at least, a decent nine year old trapped in a mans body.

The quiet sound of metal scraping against asphalt was heard and then the seven of them made their way deep beneath the city, still sticking to the shadows. If the Shredder suspected that they had returned, or that they made their home in the sewers, he would no doubt have a horde of Foot ninja waiting for them, ready to report back to their boss. They wanted to retain the element of surprise and that meant taking precautions.

As they approached the lair, they used extra caution. Leonardo unsheathed the katana he had forged for himself before they left the farmhouse, explaining to his brothers when they quizzed him on his choice of weapon that he wouldn't feel right with anything but swords, but wanted to distance himself from the weapon that the Shredder had chosen for him. Similarly, Donnie had decided not to modify the bo into a nagitana, claiming it would force a change in his fighting style. Of all the turtles only Raphael retained his original weapons, the sun and moon daggers he had always used.

The sewer tunnels thus far had seemed relatively undisturbed but then, the Foot were used to leaving no trace and it was no real indication. Leo indicated for the others to hold back, ducking around the entrance and scouting the place. He saw nothing.

He leaned back and gestured to the others. The three turtles, difficult to make out before, vanished into the shadows, checking out the different areas within the lair – the chambers they used as bedrooms, the kitchen area, the dojo.

Intrigued by the vanishing tricks, Casey took a few steps forward to see if he could espy any of them, kicked a can that had been carried to the area on a sewer trickle and the noise of it carried in the quiet of the tunnels.

April punched him in the arm. "Casey!" she hissed.

"What?" he grumbled, rubbing his arm and glaring. "There's no one here."

Beside them, Splinter scented the air. "I believe you may be right Mr Jones."

"That'd be a first," said Raph as he emerged from the shadows near Leo's room.

Mikey popped his head out of the kitchen, blinking. "But... he must have been looking for us."

"Where?" Leonardo twirled his swords a few times before sheathing them. "He knows we were found in the sewers, perhaps he doesn't think we'd come back here."

"Yeah, for all he knows we could have rented a condo," said Mikey.

Raph shot his brother a dirty look, going over to the punch bag and giving it a few irritated hits. "It's not like the Shredder not to cover all possibilities."

Leo caught the punch bag mid-swing. "Unless he thinks we're in the wind."

"Which we were," added Don, sitting in front of his computer and firing it up.

"It makes more sense for us to have tried to get as far from the Foot as possible while we were injured, prevent them finding us and finishing the job. Shredder knows that. No point in searching New York for us when we could be anywhere."

Raph lowered his stance, since the punch bag wasn't coming back until Leo let go of it. "But he knows us well enough to know we'd be back. Why not find our hideout, lay a trap here?"

"I'm believe it is because he did not expect all of you to return."

The turtles turned to stare at Splinter.

"You have all recovered well from your wounds," said Splinter. "But on the terrible night when Shredder's troops attacked, the chance of all four of you surviving was in grave doubt."

He looked pointedly at Leonardo and Raphael.

"The death of a loved one grieves the soul. The murder of a loved one enrages it. An attack in anger would have come hours after the events at Miss O'Neil's apartment and the Shredder would have been prepared. Since the attack did not come, I suspect he envisions a calculated attack, meticulously planned at some point in the future and will be prepared for it. But I doubt that he imagines you all dead – or all living."

"Y'know," said Raph thoughtfully. "Being dead could have it's advantages."

Casey looked blank. Splinter sighed and explained. "Shredder believes us vanquished in the explosion at Miss O'Neil's, leaving him vulnerable to a surprise attack."

"If we're gonna do this, we're gonna need to find out more about what's changed since we lived there," said Leo, beginning to pace the floor, an intent look on his face.

"It's not gonna be easy getting into that place," said Donnie. "Since we left, the Shredder will have updated the security system and I don't know if I can hack into it. It was designed by doctor Baxter Stockman himself!"

"Gee," drawled April sarcastically. "Shame you don't know anyone who used to _work_ with Stockman. Or that you _are_ someone who used to work with him."

"Yeah Don, you've bypassed Stockman's systems before," Mikey reminded him. "You'll do this one too, _easy_."

Don shrugged with feigned modesty. "I guess I could try."

He turned back to his computer and began typing rapidly, conferring with April occasionally, their low muttering adding the backdrop to the lair. Leonardo frowned, sitting on the threadbare couch, not wanting to meditate and miss something of importance but knowing that he needed a clear head for this confrontation. The visions of the Foot attack high above the streets of New York city were still clear in his mind. Never before had he been taken apart and for it to occur in such a ruthless fashion by those he had called family for so long...

He had expected retaliation from the Foot for the destruction of the Shredder. To find out the Shredder still lived was a nasty revelation. Knowing that Karai had turned against him, his best friend throughout most of his life – that was the most painful realisation of all.

As if on cue, Splinter appeared by his side. "Something troubles you Leonardo."

Leo suppressed a smirk. How did the rat always know?

"I... I was just remembering the last time I tangled with the Shredder's Elite ninja. I don't wanna let my brothers down."

Splinter regarded Leonardo for a moment, slightly surprised that the turtle had confided in him but gratified at the display of trust. Then he smiled, resting his hand on Leo's shell.

"You must look within and find a strength that is yours and yours alone. You will not let them down. I feel it in my heart."

"We're in," called Donnie from the computer.

The turtles gathered around as he showed them the familiar layout of the Foot skyscraper. "Just like I thought, most of the security has been altered," explained Donnie. "But I doubt the Shredder moved his personal stronghold from the rooftop. We know where to find him."

"Forget that for now Don," said Raph impatiently. "Can you get us in?"

"Getting in? No problem," said Don confidently, already forming a plan in his mind. "Getting to the Shredder? Difficult, but do-able. I have an idea, but we're gonna need a few things."

Splinter inclined his head. "The battle before you will be most arduous. You must go in prepared."

"I'm prepared," growled Raph. "To kick some shell!"

"I think Splinter meant a little something more," said Leo.

"I believe the time has come to return the Shredder's sword to its former owner," expanded Splinter.

"Now you're talking!" Raph went over to where the Sword of Tengu rested, the glove beside it. Without thinking, he went to pick it up – and the resulting energy wave knocked him across the lair and flat on his shell.

"Forget something?" asked Leo with a smirk.

"Uh... maybe you should have the honour of carrying the sword," said Raph weakly. "After all, you're the sword guy."

Leo frowned slightly, but silently acknowledged that it was his responsibility to bear the weapon. Letting the subject go, he turned to Don. "How long before we can be ready?"

"I should be able to finish in twenty four hours or so," replied Don. "But I'm gonna need some stuff from the junkyard."

"I'll go with!" offered Mikey.

Leo nodded. "But be careful. We can't let it be known that we're in New York or our advantage is shot straight to hell."

Raph raised an eye ridge. "Got a strategy Fearless Leader?"

Leo nodded slowly. "Saki always told us we should know our enemy. We just have to make sure _he_ doesn't know _us_."

Grinning, Raph pounded a fist into his palm. "Bring it on!"

"We're gonna be a four turtle wrecking crew!" Leonardo reached out his hand. The other three turtles rested their own hands on his.

"Five." Splinter added his own hand. No way was he letting his sons go up against their enemy without him there. No way in hell.

_&&&&&&&&&&&_

The van that entered the Foot skyscraper had seen better days. Actually reflected Hun as he first laid eyes on it via the security cameras, it had seen better _decades_. It looked like the kinda thing Charles Manson might have driven to the scene of one of his infamous murders after imbibing a helluva lot of hallucinogenics and having any sense of style surgically removed. About a hundred years old yet going like a bat outta hell. In through the private car park, busting straight through the barricade, heading straight for the reinforced doors.

"Seal the perimeters!" he yelled angrily. What was going on? How did a group of stoned teenagers living far behind the times find the secret entrance to the headquarters? Damn, they had no idea what they were getting into – hell, there was even a set of fuzzy dice in the drivers window!

They'd seal the ridiculous looking thing in, tell the pothead driver to scram and maybe a simple security glitch wouldn't turn into a major incident. Assuming the van didn't just smash into the doors and fold up the occupants like an accordion. _That_ would be hard to explain to the Master.

And then something happened. The vans roof seemed to lift in one place, as if there were a sunroof there and someone inside were opening it – and then a missile emerged, aimed straight for the doors, hitting the reinforced steel and creating a large hole. A split second later the van hit the hole and widened the gap, sustaining some damage from the collision but not as much as it should have done.

The Foot soldiers who had been patrolling the area had to dive out of the way as the van roared toward them, no regard for their well being. The perimeter alarms began to wail and the amplified voice of one of the Foot ninja began to sound throughout the lower floors of the skyscraper.

"This is control. We're under attack. Commence lock down!"

The solid steel doors that would keep the van from entering began to close – but slowly. For a few seconds it was a race to see if the van would make it or not, but it seemed that the gap would be too narrow once it arrived at them. All that would happen was that the van would sustain major damage if it tried to get in, probably seriously injuring the occupants should an attempt be made.

So it seemed.

As the gap in the doors narrowed, the van put on a burst of speed, boosters emerging from one side of the panelling and igniting. The whole van lifted onto its left side wheels, the right ones waving precariously in the air. At the same time, metal plating slid over the windows. The van made the gap – just – thanks to its decreased width, the boosters ceased and it crashed back onto four wheels. A second missile emerged from the roof, obliterating the control station and forcing ninja to scatter. Then there was nowhere else for the van to go and the driver performed a skid that turned it almost 180 degrees.

From the walls of the garage, panels slid back to reveal laser guns that fired at the van. It started up again, weaving around the shots, but with nowhere to go save the direction it had come from.

Aden then Hun entered, madder than hell. He unleashed one of the Foots special brand of grenade at the thing, no longer concerned about the clean up or body dump afterward. If anyone survived, they would be questioned about the attack. If not... there were other ways of finding out these things.

The grenade sent the van straight into the air, all four tyres ripping to shreds, debris flying in all directions. The landing knocked the vehicle onto its side and a small fire began at the point the grenade had exploded at. A quick thinking Foot ninja sprayed an extinguisher at it – they didn't want the whole place going up and it was unlikely anyone in the van would be in any condition to put up a fight.

The rear doors had been damaged in the blast and Hun used his formidable strength to rip them off all the way, prepared for anyone who may be awaiting them.

There was one thing though he wasn't expecting.

"What? Empty?"

Furious, he threw the doors aside, narrowly missing two Foot ninja foolish enough to have approached him. And then his communicator began to bleep and he knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

He pulled out the communicator, Saki's face appearing on the screen. "Hun – report!"

"Sir. The truck was a decoy."

_"WHAT?"_

"There's no driver, no one inside at all. But someone was manoeuvring it. There's something else too. It was armed with missiles similar to our own."

Saki's brow furrowed into a deep frown. "I know of few who would be able to modify a vehicle in this manner and even fewer who would do so to attack us. In fact, there is only one that comes to mind."

Hun glowered. "Donatello?"

"Donatello," confirmed Saki. "He and his surviving brothers and maybe the rat too. Search the building. Put all Foot ninja on full alert!"

He paused, suddenly realising that there was something wrong with the hologramatically produced picture of Hun. A few seconds ago it had been clear and sharp, he had been able to hear everything with crystal clarity. But the picture was twisting, fading out and Hun's words were lost to a hail of static.

Something was jamming the signal.

_Donatello strikes again,_ thought Saki, cold anger beginning to course through him. He had been expecting an attack sooner or later and he had known that Donatello would employ some of these tactics – but the _nerve_ of the turtle! To attack him _here_ in _his_ stronghold!

_Donatello certainly lives. Maybe Michelangelo also. But the other two – I doubt it very much. And even if one of them managed to survive, it is of no consequence. They shall not have revenge for the demise of their family. Merely the comfort of knowing that they will soon join them._

_&&&&&&&&&&&&_

It wasn't Donatello blocking the signals at all, but April working from Donnie's computer deep in the lair. Casey had been assigned her protector, in case the Foot traced where the interference was coming from, although Donnie had said that was unlikely. The virus she had come up with was simple, it was remaining hacked into the computer that would prove complicated. Should Stockman realise what she was doing, that might be the end of it. He could probably kick her off the system from his own end and restore communications, if anyone was thinking that way.

They were in touch with the turtles through the mobile phone system that Don had been working on – shell cell as he affectionately called them. Both he and April wore headpieces so they could keep in touch. April had the building schematics on the system and although the turtles had lived in the skyscraper for most of their lives, they would all have bet the Shredder would have made some modifications in case of something like this and got Stockman to upgrade security. They could rely on their knowledge of the building only so much; if they had no way of knowing what had changed, they were screwed.

To Casey the whole thing looked like some kinda weird foreign language. He would rather have been in the skyscraper, battling the Foot and finally maybe getting his own measure of revenge on the Hun – but there were other things to consider. April for one. Leaving her to fend for herself should anyone trace the signal made him mad just thinking about it and not entirely for his sense of chivalry.

So he hadn't put up _too_ much of a fuss when Leo insisted he remain behind. Still, he really wished he were there right now, laying the smack down on some of those Foot creeps, making them pay for what happened at the shop. He couldn't really even talk to April. She was concentrating and occasionally checking in with Don. From what he could hear, they sounded like something off one of those crazy science fiction films. He kinda enjoyed those films sometimes, assuming he could avoid falling asleep when they got to the boring explaining stuff. Those films needed less talk, more shooting.

Although now he thought about it, the less shooting in this little scene, the better.

_&&&&&&&&&&&&_

Deep in the maintainer rooms of the Foot headquarters, down in the basement, ran several large pipes, about five foot high. The ninja rarely entered this area, deeming themselves far superior to those who kept simple things like light and heat taken care of. So there were no ninja around to see the large circular hole cut into the pipe from the inside, falling to the ground and allowing four turtles to quickly emerge. That suited the turtles just fine.

Don stepped out first, pausing to look at the remote control in his hands as the others climbed out behind him, Splinter close behind. "Shame we had to do that to the van. It could have been a great vehicle for us!"

"When we've finished here, we can help you build another," said Leo, resting a hand on Don's shell. He knew his brother was smart, but at times like this when he came up with the most amazing things, Leo had no idea what to say. A decoy like that had been pure genius. And a big part of their plan depended up on the Shredder realising that.

"But right now, let's stick to the plan."

Don nodded, letting it go – he had come up with the van quickly and he knew he could easily modify another much better given more time – and spoke into his headpiece. "April. Stage one complete."

"Roger that Don," replied April in his ear. "Uploading worm programme now."

The five mutants made their way out of the maintainer section and to the door that would lead them into the Foot headquarters. Don tapped on the keypad that locked it a couple of times. "April. I'm having trouble getting in. Can you come up with an access code?"

"Yeah, but it's gonna be tricky. They change the combination hourly."

"Allow me." Raphael took a few steps back to charge the door, but Leo caught him by the shoulder.

"Hang back Raph."

It was Mikey who followed through with Raph's plan, delivering a powerful kick to the door and knocking it clean off its hinges. "Noisy," he commented, pulling out his nunchucks. "But effective!"

Don and Splinter came through the door behind him, Don with his bo staff out, Splinter wielding nothing more deadly than his walking stick. They were greeted by Foot ninja. At least twenty of them, all armed, all looking for a fight.

"Now that's a lot of ninjas!" Mikey wasted no more time with words, flying toward the nearest Foot soldiers, delivering powerful blows with his nunchaku. Donnie was right behind him, throwing his bag at a ninja to distract him while bringing the bo backward, slamming the guy trying to sneak up on him in the guts before taking out the one in front and retrieving his bag all in the same move.

Splinter blocked a jo staff strike with his walking stick, shoving the ninja backward and ducking aside to block another attack from behind. He whipped around, leaping and kicking the ninja in the face, sending him stumbling into others. Punching and kicking viciously, he was a one-rat fighting machine.

Mikey faced down two ninja in a classic standoff, he with his chucks spinning, they both wielding _chigiriki_, formerly his own weapon of choice. He knew any number of ways to incapacitate an opponent with one, fewer ways to avoid an attack. He used his chucks to bat away the first few attacks, being forced backward each time to make enough room to mount a defence. He knew what their plan was. He had used the same one often enough himself.

He jumped onto a control desk, dodging another attack and realised exactly what would give him the best chance against them. Letting his nunchucks come to rest, he pulled a face.

"Booga booga!"

The chain on a _chigiriki_ wrapped around his ankle. One swift tug and Mikey lost his balance, falling behind the desk. Confident, three Foot ninja dived behind it to take the turtle down for good. Instead, there were several complicated moments and all three ninja were out for the count. He popped his head back above the desk, wanting to make a comment or joke – but the sight of the security camera high on one corner changed his mind and reminded him of the plan. He was supposed to be on a mission of revenge and he had to act the part.

Don made for the main security control desk, whipping out his bo and knocking the ninja in charge out of the way. The Foot ninjas dispatched, Donnie grabbed his bag and retrieved a laptop, taking a wire attacked and plugging it into the security control desk. Mikey made a show of looking out for any backup while Don tapped a code onto the keyboard before looking straight at the camera.

"We're gonna get you for what you did to our brothers Saki," snarled Don, deadly serious, no acting required. He could all too easily picture doing this for real, remember how close they came to losing both Leo and Raph. How their former Sensei had coldly planned to kill all of them at April's shop, how he had tried to brainwash Mikey, imprisoned Splinter, taken them from their home to raise as Foot ninja...

No more. It was going to end tonight, one way or the other.

He hit a button on the laptop and every security camera in the building was instantly rendered useless.

"April! I'm hooking up. Prepare to download remote access codes."

"Preparing synergistic interfaces. Now."

Don ducked as the last ninja flew past him and hit the control board, courtesy of a Mikey flying kick. Donnie glanced at his brother. "Do you mind? I'm working here."

"Sorry," said Mikey with a shrug.

All the Foot ninja down, Splinter glanced around them. "No doubt more will be on the way."

"No problems here," replied Donnie. "Every camera in the building is out and April has the interfaces. She should be able to guide us through any nasty surprises the Shredder had installed since we moved out."

Leonardo and Raphael entered the room, Raph obviously disappointed at having missed the battle. Leo checked the fallen enemy. "So far, so good. Before the monitors were knocked out, he only saw Don and Mike. If he thinks we're dead, it'll lull him into a false sense of security."

"Do not underestimate the Shredder," Splinter warned. "He will take nothing for granted. We cannot let down our guards."

Leo nodded in agreement. "Let's get moving."

Moments later, Hun raced into the room with enough backup in tow to give the two turtles and their rat friend the fight of their lives. But there was no sign of any mutants in the vicinity.

He looked around carefully, half-expecting a surprise attack from a shadow – but there were no shadows and no mutants. Just the battered remnants of his troops.

Grabbing the nearest Foot ninja by the shirt front, he got in the guys face. "Where are the turtles?"

"Turtles..." muttered the ninja weakly, raising a trembling arm and pointing to a corner. Hun glanced over and saw an air vent, the front having been removed. He stormed over and put his head through the vent, just in time to see a long, sinewy tail vanish from sight. The rat.

For once, Hun's massive size worked against him. He was athletic in spite of his bulk but there was no way he could fit through that vent. His shoulders didn't even clear the gap. And he couldn't send the ninja up one at a time, the turtles would easily defeat any of them in a one on one attack in such an enclosed area.

He had to find out where they were headed so they could be stopped.

"Find them."


	12. I Won't Be Ignored

_As always, my thanks to those who read and reviewed the last chapter! This was supposed to be the last, but it got too long so I've chopped it in half. One more chapter (I keep saying that!) then the epilogue. Enjoy!_

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

As they reached the end of the air shaft, Donnie kicked off the vent and checked out the room. He'd had a good idea where the shaft led to, but it was gratifying to have his memories confirmed.

"We're in the weapons room," he told the others, leaping out of the vent and several feet down to the floor.

"Is there anything in here we could use?" asked Leo, looking around. He had always declined to use most of the tech available to the Foot simply because he preferred the honourable method of fighting with his swords than the short cut of bigger guns.

"There's things we could use, but is it a good idea?" Don examined a few things. Some of them he'd even worked on in the labs. "They're mostly heavy and none of us are experts."

Leo nodded. "We keep to what we have. No need to make things complicated. I don't suppose we can disable any of these?"

"Not without taking a lot more time than we have."

"Aw," said Mikey, picking up a random gun and tossing it from hand to hand. "We coulda had some fun!"

"Put that down lame brain," snapped Leo.

"Come," said Splinter. "We must remain on the move."

Reluctantly, Mikey replaced the weapon and followed the others. Until Splinter stopped walking and held out his arms to stop them.

"Wait!"

"What is it?" asked Raph impatiently.

"I sense a presence."

The four looked around doubtfully, seeing nothing. Mikey shrugged. "Nobody here but us turtles!"

They continued a few more moments before Splinter stopped again. "Something _is_ here. Something that cannot be seen."

Don spun around, realising the truth. "Foot Tech ninjas!"

The turtles stood on guard, awaiting an attack – and without warning, Don's bo was kicked out of his hands and a moment later, an unseen kick sent him flying.

Raph slashed at thin air, hoping to hit someone through sheer luck. His sun and moon daggers hit nothing and within seconds had been knocked from his grasp. A vicious chop to the back of his neck landed him on the floor in a daze, cursing.

Leo swung around, trying to listen for the sounds of movement. For a second he thought he heard a footstep – and then his treacherous memory took him back to the night on the rooftops, the night that had nearly cost him his life...

_...the sounds of footsteps in the rain, no one in sight..._

He froze.

A moment later, the katana were kicked from his grip. He lashed out blindly, forgetting for a moment all of his years of rigorous training as he panicked, hoping only to get the guys before things got as bad as they did the last time this happened – and then a slam to his plastron knocked him half way across the room.

_Failed, I'm gonna fail again..._

Mikey leapt backward more from startlement than judgement and felt the air moving as a fist missed him by an inch. He continued to flip backward, hoping to avoid the blows until he could form a plan of some kind. But he ran out of room before a plan came to mind, landing on a platform with a lift mechanism on it. He'd played Resident Evil often enough to know what to do in this kinda situation. He hit the button and smirked as it rose.

"Ha! In your faces! Smoked your transparent butts!"

"Ahem."

The voice came from behind him. His heart sinking, Mikey turned, realising that somehow one of the Foot Techs had got behind him and still he saw nothing... but he felt it when a kick hit firmly in his plastron and knocked him off the platform. He hit the floor on his shell, hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

Splinter growled as he saw his sons knocked around in front of him, seemingly by thin air. Invisible assassins, meaning that sight was doing little but confusing them. They had to utilise other senses.

He closed his eyes, letting his superior hearing and sense of smell take over. Slightly to his left, he heard the ninja that had knocked Michelangelo from the platform jump from the machine, landing softly on the floor. Without a pause, Splinter leapt forward and delivered a brutal kick before the man could move, hitting the cloaking device on the ninjas chest plate and rendering him both visible and no longer a threat.

Sensing something behind him, Splinter turned and blocked another attack from a Foot Tech ninja with his walking stick. Leonardo, recovered from the previous blow, ran forward to aid the rat, lashing out at the air, not connecting. A moment later his feet were swept from beneath him and he went flat on his shell.

Splinter used the distraction Leonardo provided, leaping into the air and hitting the ninja full in the face, which wouldn't have given the turtles much of an advantage – save for the fact that Mikey was directly behind, just recovering his own feet. Turtle and ninja went down again, Mikey having the presence of mind to deliver an elbow that disabled the cloaking device by pure luck rather than good judgement. He'd been aiming lower.

Leo was back on his feet moments after going down, finally able to see the ninja and using a nerve grip that the Shredder had taught them many years before, one that would leave the guy unconscious for hours.

"Two down, one to go," muttered Raph, trying to work out where the final guy had gone. "What, is he too scared to face us?"

At that moment, an engine started up. The turtles turned toward the sound to see a heavily armed vehicle, with caterpillar treads and many weapons they couldn't even begin to guess the use of. And it was heading straight for them..

"You just _had_ to say it," said Donnie, diving for cover.

"It looks like a tank got busy with an octopus!" Mikey stared at the vehicle in awe as it turned in his direction.

There was a whooshing noise and suddenly a small missile emerged from the vehicle and shot toward Mikey, Leo and Splinter. The three ran and the missile hit a van in the corner that might have been intended for surveillance but was suddenly reduced to no more than a smouldering heap of twisted metal.

The room was large enough that the vehicle had room to manoeuvre, but it also allowed the mutants the advantage of being more easily able to dodge. A second missile was fired, this one hitting high into the wall and shaking the skyscraper. Concrete and rubble fell to the floor, raising a cloud of dust.

The turtles and Splinter were focused solely on the tank, concentrating on finding some way to overcome it – so when the first Foot Tech ninja that Splinter had hit suddenly attacked from behind, none of them had been expecting it.

Splinter was suddenly lifted and thrown to one side, hitting a set of shelves hard. Its structure had already been weakened by the explosions and collapsed, burying the rat in tools and equipment, pinning him to the ground.

Don hurled an electric counter shock shuriken at the general area the ninja had been in, missing the chest plate he had been aiming for but opening a wound on the ninja that was not hidden by the cloaking device. Through narrowed eyes, he watched the way the pattern of blood moved before throwing a second shuriken, this one hitting the ninja and shorting out the gadgetry.

The other three had immediately run to help Splinter, who was struggling to free himself from beneath the shelves. He looked over their shoulders to see the tank bearing down on them. "Leave me!"

"Leave you? No way!" Raph pulled aside a heavy girder and grabbed Splinter's arm, helping to his feet and hurrying him away, the others leaping into the air – toward the vehicle. Leo aimed a flying kick to the seemingly empty seat, hoping he was right to do so, grateful when he was rewarded by his foot connecting with invisible flesh. The ninja fell from the vehicle, becoming visible Leo sailed to the floor after him, putting him out of the fight for good. Mikey was only seconds behind Leo, landing in the vacated seat and hitting the button that stopped the runaway vehicle, which came to a grinding halt.

Mikey grinned down at Donnie. "And you're always telling me _not_ to press the shiny buttons!"

Leo glanced up at the gap in the roof left by the high-aimed missile. "We could use that to make a rapid exit..."

"No!" Donnie shook his head emphatically. "Those are some of the labs up there. The genetic labs. Trust me, you do _not _want to see what's up there!"

"Then we take the elevator shaft." Leo glanced down at the now-visible and very unconscious Foot Tech ninja. "They won't be giving away our location anyway. Or our existence."

"The elevator _shaft_?" Mikey looked at the others. "Why not just the elevator? It'd be easier!"

"Hello! Mikey!" Raph grabbed his brother in a headlock and tapped on his head. "We're ninja, remember? Stealth? Invisibility? Not giving away where we are through advertising the damn floor we just hit?"

Mikey escaped and stuck out his tongue. "No need to worry about me! Stealth is my middle name!"

"Can we just get on with this?" Leo went over to the elevator hidden in the shadows at the far end of the weapons room and attempted to prise loose the doors. After a moment, Raph went over to help and between them and their weapons, they opened the doors, which led high up into the Foot headquarters, although not all the way to the top. Or, to look at it from another point of view, several floors down to a quick and messy death.

"Is the car above or below us?" asked Donnie.

"Um..." Leo squinted up, then down. "It looks like it's below. I think I see it. Might be the ground though. Too dark to tell."

"If it's above us, we could all become turtle pancakes," grumbled Raph.

"But if it's below, we could shorten the trip if someone uses it!"

Leo tuned out Raph and Mikey, trying to remember everything that Mas – that _Saki_ had taught him about learning to control his fear of heights. Most of the time now it was second nature and he didn't think about it, but every so often it cane back to him. Like now, when he could be crushed from above if he was wrong.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the cable and swung over the void, going hand over hand further up the rope. He felt the rope jerk every time one of the others joined him and soon they were all making their way steadily upwards. hopefully their whereabouts – and escape route – unknown.

The elevator shaft terminated at the seventy second floor, just as Leo had rather suspected it would. Many years ago, he and Donatello had used the same elevator to come to this very floor, planning to improve their ninja skills by practising against the traps laid all over the floor – and nearly had their shells handed to them. He didn't doubt the security measures were still in place.

"Remember this place Leo?" asked Don as he climbed out of the shaft.

"We nearly got our shells waxed, how could I forget it?" Leo managed a smile at his brother. "At least now we know what's lying in wait. All we have to do is not trigger any sensors."

"Easier said than done," replied Don. "Shredder's probably changed the triggers a hundred times between then and now."

"Agreed." Leo waited for the other three to get out of the shaft before continuing. "There's traps everywhere around here. Splinter, can you tell where any of them are?"

Splinter scented the air. "No, although I sense their presence I cannot locate their exact whereabouts."

"Then we go carefully," said Leo, giving Mikey a particularly meaningful look. It had been hard to remember a time when Mikey had been jocular just a few scant months previously, but something about their time at the farm, the way they had become closer, seemed to have awoken that side of him again. Much as Leo appreciated the humour sometimes, it could be unnerving when Mikey suddenly cracked a joke or began bantering with the enemy.

He need not have worried. The five mutants were all on guard, leaping lightly from place to place, Leo in the lead and the others following his exact steps. No alarms were triggered, no traps sprung.

In all their years living at Foot headquarters, the turtles had been confined to certain areas of the building. The price of violating the rules was a high one, as Michelangelo had found out. They had trained in Saki's private rooftop sanctuary, but had gone straight there from the opposite side of the building, where they resided. Only Leo and Donnie had ever been as high as the seventy-second floor at this side and none of them had been any further than that. They were in unchartered territory from that point onward.

The double doors at the far end of the corridor had the sign of the Foot emblazoned upon them. Leo pushed them open and the five stepped through into an open area, a courtyard hidden from the lower floors. The whole area was shrouded in a mist that seemed strange for the weather conditions, unnatural. The air was still, redolent with some heavy incense. The decor was the exact opposite of what the rest of Foot headquarters boasted, the high-tech gadgetry and security absent, columns and pillars made of worn stone leading to a heavy door, the only sign of modernity in the place.

"Cheery," muttered Raph, his voice sounding out of place in the mausoleum silence. The group made their way over to the steps leading to the door, although it looked impenetrable. Still, maybe there was another way into this part of the building...

And then they were all alerted to the noise behind them, quiet, stealthy and yet somehow _sly_; as thought the maker had intended them to be alerted. The five of them turned, weapons at the ready.

Raph glared at the figure, features hidden within the fog that enshrouded the area but his silhouette easily identifiable. He scowled, raising his daggers higher. He couldn't be seeing what he thought he was, it simply wasn't possible...

"Splinter," he whispered to the rat. "You weren't hiding something about when you found us, were ya? Like, maybe how we had another brother?"

"I hid nothing," replied Splinter, his ears lying almost flat against his skull. "And there is something different about this turtle to you four. He is not one like you."

As if to prove the rats opinion, the figure moved through the mist, coming closer. Raph widened his eyes. He had thought whatever it was had been closer – but as it turned out it was simply larger than them. Much, much larger.

And definitely a turtle.

It came in close, finally near enough for the four turtles to see what this other one who shared their shape looked like. Massive, maybe seven feet tall, bulky and heavily veined. It was carrying some kind of staff. And it was grinning at them with malicious good humour.

"Ho-lee shit..." Raph began and got no further. Another step forward revealed the creatures skin tone. Dark green. The same as his own.

The mutants were so mesmerised by the sight that for a moment they failed to notice the other figures behind the first humanoid turtle. It wasn't until the dark green one suddenly jerked forward, pulling back as they all gasped with a smirk on its face, that they noticed that they were not alone with the mutant.

There were three other shapes coming through the mist toward them, all humanoid turtles, not close enough for them to tell much more than that and that they were not as large as the dark green one and that they all carried staffs of their own.

Donatello brandished his bo, mind working overtime, thinking back to a conversation he'd had with Raph and Leo only a few months previously, while working out their plans to free Mikey from Oruku Saki's clutches...

"_Shredder's pet geneticist – remember him?"_

"_Like we could forget. _Blood_ samples, _skin_ samples, _tissue_ samples – that guy was so fonda needles, he shoulda taken up acupuncture."_

"_But he vanished, years ago. He was on the mission under the city and the whole team went missing. Don't you remember how Ma- how Saki yelled?"_

"Guys!" Don took a few steps back, wondering what else these new players might have in store. "Shredder's geneticist, the one that took all the samples from us over the years – I think these might be the results!"

"We've been _cloned_?" Raph couldn't take his stare from the one that shared his skin tone. Don couldn't be right, surely. Even if that thing did look a little bit like him.

Another turtle approached from the right, this one blueish-green, its posture less rigid than that of the first. Rather than the malicious humour of the first, its expression was more vacuous and yet there was something in its eyes, something that suggested malice.

"No way are those clones," said Mikey, sounding hurt. "I'm _way_ better looking than that!"

"Not clones as such," clarified Don. "Genetic clones. Our genetic material was used along with some DNA from other sources to try to splice something else. In this case, these four."

"It doesn't matter how they came to be," said Leo determinedly. "Only that they're here and they don't look about to let us get through. We can take them!"

"Right on," replied Raph, leaping straight for the largest mutant.

Splinter held up a hand, trying to stop them. "Wait! There is something more at work here..."

No use. The turtles had already leapt into battle.

Raph charged at his cloned counterpart, refusing to be intimidated by its size. The creature grinned at him as he raised the sun and moon daggers – then sidestepped the assault, grabbed Raph by the arm and threw him. Across the courtyard. Raph landed on his shell and jumped instantly to his feet, facing down the creature but deciding to be more cautious this time.

_What did they do, splice my DNA with a freaking ten ton truck?_

He knew that if he could get in close enough he would be able to slice the creature open – it seemed to be flesh and blood after all and if it was, then it could bleed...

And then the creature raised its staff and a wall of flames sprung from nowhere, racing toward Raph. It was all he could do to leap out of the way in time. He somersaulted into the corner, stunned.

"What the hell?"

Mikey chose an air assault, jumping and going in high to his own counterpart, unnerved by the blank look in its eyes. There was no pupil in the orb, merely a solid blue-tinged white that didn't seem capable of sight. Yet its head followed his approach.

And then it rose its staff and a solid spout of water emerged from the flagstones at its feet, catching Mikey unawares and throwing him several feet in the air. As he tumbled off the spout, only his ninja training saved him from serious injury, allowing him to land with more finesse than anyone else would have done, but still bemused and worried about this new development.

Leo had dodged to one side and gone after one of the pair at the back, assuming that he would come up against himself – but as he drew his swords and headed for his quarry, he realised that the colour was all wrong. This clone was an olive green, standing at maybe six feet and clutching the staff in both hands. Not his clone. Donnie's.

For a split second he hesitated.

Then the clone brandished its staff and a gust of air hit Leo with hurricane force, knocking him head over heels backward toward the steps where Splinter still stood.

Donnie had gone for the last clone, noticing straight away that this was a result of Leo's genetic material – the colour of its skin could only be Leo – but at the same time realising that there was nothing much else of his brother within the creature. Whereas the Raph clone had seemed amused to see them and the Mikey clone had been grinning, this one was all business. There was a determination in its moves that told Don it would not toy with him but go straight for the kill. Donnie decided to do likewise.

He ran at the creature, bo raised as if he planned to swing it, but at the last moment he planted the staff on the ground and used it to vault into the air and kick the clone in the face.

Or at least that was the plan. As the bo hit the ground, earth from around the flags erupted, catching the weapon in a vice like hold and causing Don to fall backward rather than flip himself forward. Startled, he glanced down at the end of his bo, almost forgetting the enemy in front of him – until he glanced up and saw a fist heading his way. He rolled aside just in time.

"What the hell's going on?" shouted Raph, aiming the comment at Don, although he would have been happy for an answer to come from anywhere.

"These are mystical opponents," replied Splinter, not shouting but his voice carrying nonetheless.

"How can they be?" Don wrestled to release his bo from the grip it was in and avoid the crushing fists of the Leo-clone at the same time. "They're genetically engineered from our DNA and we don't have any powers like this!"

Splinter leapt forward, kicking the Leo-clone aside before it could crush Donnie, allowing him to retrieve his bo. "Perhaps the other source has the mystical abilities. I doubt that it matters. We must get through those that are in front of us."

"Right," said Mikey, dripping wet. "Any of you guys got a weak spot I can work with?"

"We all know each others fighting styles and weak spots," Leo reminded them. "Doesn't mean that they have the same ones."

"Worth a try," responded Raph.

Mikey raced over to the oversized Raph-clone, suddenly knowing what to do. "Hey! Ugly! Betcha can't hit the turtle!"

The Raph clone gave him a glare and aimed the staff at him. A moment later, flames leapt up in a circle around Mikey.

"Is that the best you've got?" Mikey jumped up, scaling the flames and landing on the other side of the circle. "That is so weak!"

A moment later a pyre erupted from the ground int front of Mikey, the sudden explosive force throwing him away.

"OK – that was pretty good," he admitted. "Guys, the weak point strategy isn't working!"

"Wait," said Raph, annoyed. "You think my weak point is you being annoying?"

"We can't get near them!" said Leo.

"There must be some way to fight fire with fire," said Don worriedly. So far, none of them had even laid a blow on the clones.

"Or magic with magic.." Splinter regarded the four clones. "I believe that conquering our mystic foes require a mystic weapon."

Leo nodded, removing the glove from his belt and the Sword of Tengu from the sheath on his back. Formerly merely a weapon, it began to glow with energy as soon as he plucked it out.

"Everyone get away from the temple – _now_!"

The four clones converged on Leo, who leapt into the air and flipped over them. As he landed, he directed a stream of energy from the sword at the clones, blasting them backward.

They got to their feet, the amusement that had been present in the Raph-clone and Mikey-clone gone. All of them now had nothing more than murder in their eyes. As one, they raised their staffs and conjured their elements in an attack on Leonardo.

Leo swung the Sword of Tengu, the most powerful blast he had ever manged to activate emerging from it. The energy beam easily cut through earth, air, fire and water, throwing the attacks back at them and hitting the creatures with their own powers, as well as the power from the sword.

The effect was startling. The four creatures fell, cowering on the ground, the staffs out of their grips. A cloud of smoke rose, from which it was impossible to tell. The air grew still once more and suddenly the courtyard was quiet.

Don approached Leo cautiously, watching the shapes of the four mutants through the smoke. "How is that even possible? How did he clone us and give them those powers?"

"I don't know Donnie," replied Leo, returning the sword to its sheath. "I don't think it's important right now."

Don looked like he wanted to argue, but chose not to.

"The sword of Tengu is a potent mix of science and sorcery," said Splinter calmly. "Perhaps these creatures are the same."

"Makes you wonder what's in store for us on the next twenty floors," said Don.

"Whatever's in store, we'll see this thing through to the bitter end!" Leo glanced at his brothers for confirmation, knowing he couldn't force them to go through with this – but they were all nodding their agreement.

"We're taking the Shredder down," said Raph. "Tonight."

"Payback time," added Mikey grimly.

Don spoke into his headpiece. "April – any luck finding us a stairwell out of here?"

"Best I can find is a private elevator on the west side of the building," came back the response. "But I can't tell if it reaches your floor."

Leo looked to the west, noticing a drape with the symbol for the water element on it. Pulling out a katana, he leapt toward it and sliced through the material, revealing the elevator behind.

"Found it!"

Don nodded and turned his attention back to the conversation. "So, where does this take us April?"

"Straight to the top boys." The smile in her voice was evident. "Straight to the top!"

The five entered the elevator and as it moved slowly upward, they exchanged looks. This was it. The final battle, one way or the other. This was the end.

"There is no turning back now," said Splinter, glancing at each of them in turn. So many years away from them... and yet, when they might have given in to the Shredder's ideologies, they had retained their good hearts, their sense of honour and the strength of their convictions. He felt privileged to be a part of their lives.

"No matter what happens today, I have never been more proud of you all."

There was a moments silence in the elevator. Then Leo inclined in a slight bow. "Thank you – Sensei."

Splinter smiled as Raph put his hand on the rats shoulder. Often he had dreamed of the time when they would once again be a true family and in this moment, he felt that they had recaptured it.

The moment was all too brief. The elevator came to a halt and Leo and Raph jumped to the ceiling, out of sight. One of their advantages came from no one realising that there were four turtles instead of two and they couldn't afford to lose that just yet.

The doors slid open and Don, Mikey and Splinter ran out, brandishing their weapons, ready for an attack. They had been expecting to find the Shredder up here, probably with Karai at his side and an army of Foot ninja to contend with.

In a sense, they weren't disappointed. But they had been unprepared for the sight that they faced.

Karai stood, sword in hand but not in a fighting stance. In fact, she seemed unconcerned by the arrival of the three mutants. She stood by the door to the doors that exited to Shredder's private courtyard and seemed to be all alone.

Donatello didn't trust appearances for a moment.

"Where's the Shredder Karai?"

The woman regarded him coldly. "You may wish you had not asked that question Donatello."

"You've got about five seconds to tell me or I'll _make_ you tell me!"

In response, there was a loud crashing sound from the courtyard. The three mutants hesitated, taking a step back and Karai gave a humourless smile.

"You shall regret the day that you and your brothers betrayed the Foot."

"Um, Donnie?" Mikey glanced at the source of the noise. "Does that sound like – _footsteps_ to you?"

Before Don could reply, the doors to the courtyard slid back, the faint mechanical hum lost beneath the metallic crashing sound emitted from without.

And the Shredder entered.

Or at least – it _looked_ a little like the Shredder. It stood upon two armoured legs, but it had four arms rather than two, the lower two ending in hands with vicious looking metal claws on the end, the upper two with what appeared to be rotating blades. There was an array of weaponry on its back and it stood at least two foot taller than the Shredder ever had before.

But the real difference was located in the torso of the mechanical body. A small red – _thing_ – that looked a little like an oversized, disembodied brain was operating it, a thing with ancient eyes and a malicious smile that revealed many small, sharp teeth.

It wore the Shredder's helmet.

Mikey took another step backward, nunchaku dangling limply in his hands. "What _is_ that thing?"

The mechanical body clanked closer to them, its speed belied by its size. "You see me as I truly am Michelangelo. I am Oruku Saki, the Shredder, the one who raised the four of you – it has always been me. You see me as I truly am.. And I shall be the one to destroy the three of you."

"No." Donnie's voice was low and full of shock. "It _can't_ be..."

"It can be," replied Karai, her voice as inscrutable as ever. "And it is. The Master is an Utrom, a being from another planet and one day he shall rule both that planet and this one."

"Over our dead bodies," snapped Mikey.

"That's the idea." The Shredder came forward and Don, Mikey and Splinter brandished their weapons, suddenly realising that Shredder had pulled the upset after all – and they were in for the fight of their lives.


	13. This Is The End

Splinter, Donnie and Mikey dodged aside as the Shredder advanced, grouping together as the Shredder turned faster than the robotic body suggested he could. The alien within the stomach of the body grinned at them maliciously.

"Um, Donnie," said Mikey hesitantly. "What is that thing?"

"Mech-body," replied Donnie. "Stockman must have built it for him."

"And the Shredder was an _alien_ all along?"

"It would appear so," said Splinter. "And would explain much about his ongoing survival skills."

The alien continued to smirk at them, gloating over their confusion. "It's no good to fight. You shall soon be as dead as your brothers!"

"Guess again Shredder," said Leo from behind him. Before the Shredder could register the comment, Leo and Raph vaulted over him, joining their family in the stand off, brandishing their weapons, ready for a fight.

The Shredder narrowed his eyes. "You deceived me... but it is of no matter. You shall not leave this place alive. You cannot stop me!"

"Yeah, well forgive us for trying," snarled Raph as he raced forward, sun and moon daggers glinting in the overhead lights.

The Shredder strode forward to face him, an arm-like appendage taking aim at Raph. The turtle barely had time to move aside before it coughed fire at him. And still the Shredder advanced, forcing the five mutants to leap out of his way or be trodden underfoot.

Leo somersaulted over the robot, the pommel of the Sword of Tengu brushing lightly against the metal and immediately he felt the thrum of energy that coursed through it. With a sudden cold certainty, he knew that he couldn't let the Shredder get hold of it. It might be the only thing that could save them. Conventional weapons weren't going to do much against the mechanical body the Shredder had now.

_He was an alien all along and we never suspected a thing..._

Leo went to grab the Sword of Tengu, thinking he might be able to put a stop to the creature once and for all, before the fight even truly began – and then a vicious kick knocked his arm away from the sword, a second hitting the back of his shell. He stumbled forward, regaining his balance and turning quickly.

Karai.

She advanced on him, her own sword held in front of her face, her green eyes flashing fire. Leo had always known whose side she would choose when it got down to it, that she would never betray the Shredder and refuse to fight them.

Didn't mean it didn't hurt to have it confirmed.

He dodged as she parried at him and grabbed his katana, swinging it only for her to block the blow in a clash of metal on metal. They struggled for a moment, eyes locked, then he forced her backward and attacked again.

The Shredder aimed an arm at Mikey, a missile aiming straight at the turtle. He leapt away as the floor shook with the force of the impact.

Donnie flew for the robot, bo aimed squarely at the pack that he suspected held the suits power supply. He didn't even get close, one of the arms lengthening like a tentacle and hitting him, throwing him aside. He hit the wall hard, sliding down and rubbing the back of his head, the headpiece through which he had been communicating with April broken into several pieces, cutting them off from the outside world.

"You OK Don?" shouted Raph as he looked for some kind of opening, some way to get through the Shredder's defenses.

"I'll be fine," replied Donnie, getting back to his feet. "Watch out!"

Splinter leapt into the air and aimed a kick directly at the alien visage, hoping that to take out the alien would be to render the suit useless. Sensing the gambit, Shredder readied the flamethrower, knowing the rat had no way of adjusting his course in mid air.

And then a sun and moon dagger flew at the appendage, almost severing it. Circuitry prevented the arm from totally falling off and the interference sent an electric shock throughout the body. Splinter hit the body less than an inch from the alien, catching the tail end of the shock and falling stunned to the ground. The Shredder shuddered, but recovered far too quickly, the missile launcher aiming at the rat.

Raph had been right behind the dagger, snatching it up as he vaulted over the robot and landing beside Splinter. He grabbed the rat and jumped, the missile barely missing them and sending another tremor through the floor.

Karai ducked a kick by Leo and swept low, taking him off his feet and resting a foot on the back of his neck, stopping his movements and going for the Sword of Tengu.

"Oh no you don't!" Mikey say the move and raced over there, swinging a nunchuck at her head. She was forced to dodge to avoid it, not able to get hold of the Sword. Mikey attacked her with a barrage of blows, Karai managing to block them but not easily.

"I've got it," Mikey shouted at Leo. "Stop the Shredder!"

Leo nodded, running over to where the Shredder was and slicing at one of the legs, hoping that once off balance it would be easier to get access to the alien within the robot. Sensing the move Don grabbed a grappling hook on a long rope from his bag. But the robots legs were far more solid than the arms, having less circuitry, and the katana didn't cut deeply enough. The grappling hook snagged a leg but was easily shaken off as the Shredder moved forward, guns blazing.

Splinter was back on his feet, seemingly fine, so Raph dived back into the fray, jumping at the already damaged arm and severing it totally, hoping the act would shut down all of the robots systems. It didn't work. He had to flee further away just to avoid the bullets that sprayed rapidly from another. The arm fell to the floor, unnoticed.

Mikey feigned a blow with his nunchuck and when Karai went to block it, he aimed a kick to her midsection that knocked her flying backward, the sword clattering to the floor beside her. Ignoring her, Mike ran back the the fight against the Shredder, dodging bullets. But there was little he could do, unless serious dents in the body were going to have any effect and he doubted it.

The Shredder aimed another missile, this one at Raph. It missed but hit the wall, causing the room to shake again. At the same time, the tentacle like appendage swung around, catching Don and sending him sprawling.

_He's toying with us,_ thought Donnie angrily. The knowledge brought him no comfort. He couldn't see a way that the overconfidence could be used against the alien. He was right to be overconfident. There was little they could do...

His eyes fell on the severed arm.

_Stockman built it – and if I know Stockman, he went over the top. He never could resist showing off his genius. If I know Stockman, each component of the armour should have its own internal back up power supply._

He dived forward, narrowly missing the Shredder's legs, snatching up the fallen arm and scrambling away with it. It was too heavy to pull far, but he only needed a moment to check out his idea. Yes! There it was, the back up power source. The arm was still functional.

_Thank you Stockman for being so predictable._

_"FIRE IN THE HOLE!"_

The other four mutants, who had been cautiously approaching the Shredder, dived out of the way and Donnie had a moment to be grateful that their time at the farm had built up their trust enough for them to just take his word for it without question before he fired the missile, turning his back and hoping that he was far enough from the robot to avoid the fallout and if not, that his shell would protect him from the worst of it.

The missile hit the Shredder low, taking off one of the legs and leaving another a twisted mess of metal. They all saw the look on the Shredder's face change from malicious amusement to shocked understanding before a cloud of smoke obscured the alien.

And before they could act, a blur leapt to the air and aimed at where the alien should be. Splinter, determined to finish off his nemesis while he had the element of surprise.

He didn't even get close. The Shredder's robotic arms flailed wildly as he tried to fend off any unseen attack and one of them hit Splinter in the hip, knocking the rat sideways at speed. He bashed into the window, a panel of glass that extended from floor to ceiling and the turtles had just enough time to see his widened eyes and startled expression as the glass broke and the rat plummeted from the top floor of the skyscraper.

Closest to the window, Don moved as soon as he realised the glass couldn't hold, throwing himself full length across the floor, unmindful of the glass that still showered around him and littered the floor, extending his bo as far as he could in the hopes that he could catch Splinter before gravity took over. Splinter's hands clutched for the weapon – and missed. Don could only watch as the rat fell away from him...

And then someone jumped over him and a green figure started out of the window, falling, grabbing the bo as it passed and yanking it out of Donnie's grip.

Raphael.

Don blinked as the turtle shoved the bo in his belt and quickly tied off a rope around his waist. Following the path of the rope, Don could see that it was his forgotten grappling hook, snagged over a pipe that ran near the ceiling.

Raph was safe – the rope would stop him falling too far. And if he could grab Splinter too, it was possible that they would both be saved. It was an insane act by his psycho brother – but it would work.

Before Don could get to his feet, he felt a vicious kick in the soft part of his torso between his shell and plastron and bright, sharp pain rose within him as he felt something, perhaps a rib, give way inside him. His breath was forced from his body and he was unable to take another as he writhed in agony, gasping harshly as he tried to recover. A second kick nearly knocked him out of the window after Raph, this time without the benefit of a safety rope.

Leo had watched Raph's insane plunge from the window in startled admiration, before turning back to the Shredder, determined to finish off what the alien once and for all, when movement at the window distracted him.

Karai. Donnie at her feet, in obvious pain.

She was staring at him, her sword drawn, his brother helpless before her.

For a moment, Leo met her eyes, remembering how things used to be. How she used to be his best friend, sparring partner, confidante. How he had missed her when she was sent to Japan. How he had never thought anything more might come from their friendship, but a part of him had always hoped...

Without breaking his gaze, she swung the sword – and severed the rope that was rapidly reaching the end of its length, the only thing that tethered Raphael to the building.

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

Raphael hadn't stopped to think. He had seen Splinter fall, seen the grappling hook and known that there was only one chance left to save the rat. He had snatched the hook as he raced past, swung it at the pipe and not checked to see if it snagged, vaulted over Donnie's prone form and swan-dived, grabbing the bo in the hope that it would be long enough to reach Splinter if he didn't fall fast enough.

Splinter's face was full of fear and Raph knew there was only seconds to catch him. Below them the skyscraper widened, allowing for the Shredder's personal helipad. They were going too fast. If Splinter hit it, he would die instantly.

Once he was sure he was secured to the rope, Raph took the bo and reached it as far as he could. For a second, it seemed as if it would be too short anyway – then Splinter reached out and managed to catch hold of the end. Raph smiled grimly. Splinter had grabbed the bo just in time, he doubted there was much more rope left before the length ran out and he was jerked to a stop.

He braced himself for the shock of the rope pulling taut...

It never came.

The pair continued their free-fall, Splinter looking at something behind Raph, his face contorting in rage, letting out a cry of anger.

_Guess I missed the pipe,_thought Raph.

In spite of Splinter's shout and the wind rushing in his ears, Raphael thought he heard his brother yelling his name.

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

_"RAPHAEL!"_

The anguish in Michelangelo's voice was almost palpable as he ran toward the window, only to see the end of the rope slither through and out of reach. Karai flipped out of the way quickly and only Mikey's natural agility saved him from barreling straight out after Raphael. Instead he veered aside, ninjitsu skills forgotten, jumped Donnie's prone form and went for Karai with his nunchucks, forcing her backwards as she fought to defend herself against a turtle who had suddenly given in to red rage and become a force of vengeance.

Donatello tried to grasp the rope but it was too far away, falling after the two figures below. He stared out after them, thinking that at the last minute Raph might be able to think of something, anything...

He couldn't think of anything.

And then he heard the sound of Mikey battling Karai behind him and turned from the tableau below, rising to his feet in spite of the protestations from his injured body. Mikey blocked a blow from the sword without even thinking about it and shoved backward, Karai taking a couple of steps and tripping over Donnie's bag, which he threw at her feet. Immediately, Mikey capitalised on her lack of balance to wrap a nunchaku around her neck and attempt to throttle her.

Leonardo hadn't moved.

He couldn't believe – _wouldn't _believe – that things had gone so badly wrong, that he had led them into this, actually _led_ them into it, thinking they would finally be rid of the Shredder.

And somehow, it had come down to this.

His vision greyed out for a moment, everything becoming indistinct. He closed his eyes tightly, fighting the feeling and when he opened them again, the world was back in focus. It just seemed darker.

There was a burbling laugh from behind him. "Two down, three to go," said the Shredder. The triumph in his voice was clear.

Slowly Leonardo turned, his hand going for the glove that allowed him to hold the Sword of Tengu. The Shredder wasn't going anywhere, the robotic body crippled thanks to the leg that Don had blown off, but the weaponry was still working and now the Shredder aimed the missile launcher at him.

"You're next Leonardo."

Leo blocked out everything else. The grief, the sense of failure and shame, the fight between Mikey, Don and Karai – they all became distant. All he could see before him was the face of the alien, gloating at its victory, preparing to finish him off.

Dimly, Leo could hear the whine of electronics getting to work. It didn't matter.

He leapt into the air, gracefully turning his body to avoid a missile, feeling its heat skimming past his shell, snatching the Sword of Tengu as he was in the air. He began his downward descent, heading straight toward the alien, driving down the sword with all his strength. He had just enough time to see the Shredder's face change from triumph to shock and then the sword penetrated the alien's face, an amazing gout of yellow fluid spurting from the wound, splashing over the sword, coating Leo's arms and plastron, pattering onto the floor. The forward momentum drove the sword still deeper, until it punctured through the back of the robot, releasing a brief counter surge. Leo landed, letting go of the sword, eyes narrowed as he watched his hated enemy die.

The robot collapsed into a heap of metal, rendered useless.

"Father! _NO!_"

Karai found the strength to throw Mikey over her shoulder and to the floor, perhaps because he had been distracted by the scene before him, barrelling past Donnie hard enough to knock him over. Leo had just enough time to turn before a wicked punch to the chin made him see stars and he sagged to the floor, dimly grossed out by the sticky alien tissue that he landed in.

Karai knelt, her eyes wide with shock and horror as she looked upon the mess that had once been the Shredder. Leo backed off a little, glaring at her as she turned to face the three of them.

"You... you treacherous _swines_!" she hissed. "You shall suffer for what has happened here this day!"

"You're right," replied Leo with a woeful glance at the shattered window. "For the rest of our lives."

"And so will you," added Mikey, limping forward with murder in his eyes, nunchaku whirling.

Karai took in the sight; Mikey seeking revenge, Leo's hands going to the pommels of his katana and Donnie finding the sun and moon dagger that Raph had left behind and gripping it tightly.

She came to a decision. "There is no place on this Earth where you can hide from the wrath of the Foot!" she said haughtily. Then she turned and ran for the door to the courtyard.

Leo pointed a katana at the window. "You two, go see if – go after Raph. _I'll_ take care of Karai."

He took off after her, bare seconds behind as she ran through the door. But as he exited himself, into Oruku Saki's personal tranquil courtyard, he could see no sign of her. Just the sight of the place, untouched by the battle that had waged within the walls of the skyscraper, was enough to hit him with a powerful sense of _deja vu_. They had spent time here often as children, after training sessions that had gone well. It was something of a special treat. Karai had often joined them in those days, playing with them, having fun, being their friend. As trainee ninja, all of them had been good at hide and seek, but this time, he knew there was no chance of finding her.

But he knew where his brother was.

Hearing a sound behind him, he turned to see Donnie, who for some reason was dragging a piece of the Shredder's heavy exo-suit, the sun and moon dagger tucked safely away in his belt.

"Um... what are you doing? Why haven't you gone after Raph and Splinter?"

Don glanced up, weariness etched into his face. "I'm making sure the Foot can never use this building for anything else ever again. If my guess is correct, the radial power cells in this suit combined with the Sword of Tengu should be enough to fry most of the tech in this building."

Leo nodded. "And Mike?"

"He's gone after Raph and Splinter."

Leo ducked his head for a moment, then pulled out the Sword of Tengu and the glove and dropping them to the floor, letting Don continue with whatever it was that needed to be done to the suit while he walked back inside, going over to the broken window. If he was wrong, if there was even the slightest chance that Raphael had survived the fall...

But there was no sound from below, none of the excited shouting that Mikey would rouse if either of them were alive. The empty, bereft feeling inside him hadn't lied.

Donatello ignored the pain in his ribs, tried to push aside the pain in his heart. He knew what had to be done up here, he was the only one of them that would know how to do it – and he doubted there was anything that could be done for Raph or Splinter. He had stared out over the drop and knew just how far they'd had to fall. If there was, Mikey would be sure to let them know. Otherwise, there was one thing left to do.

He pulled wires from his bag, attaching them to the arm and heading over to the power supply to attach the other end. The whole floor seemed quiet, too quiet. It was unlikely that Karai was still around, but there should have been Foot ninja bursting in on them when they found out the Shredder had been defeated. Likely they had been ordered to stay out of the way while the fight was going on – but Karai should have given the order for them to attack. Unless she hadn't gone anywhere...

Keeping an eye out, Don returned to the arm, slipping on the glove and lifting the Sword high. The move should fry all the tech in the building, the place where their whole nightmarish journey had begun. Where they had been brought to as children, brainwashed into being a part of the Foot, where Splinter had been held prisoner, where Mikey had been maimed, where Leo and Karai had practised and sparred and left the other turtles out, where Raph had very likely met his end...

With an inarticulate cry of rage, Donnie slammed the Sword of Tengu into the Shredder's robotic arm.

A surge of electricity went through the cables attaching the arm to the main power supply. The backlash from the Sword entered the systems of the skyscraper, going through the circuits and frying everything in its wake. Lights all over the skyscraper burst in a spray of glass shards. Genetic experiments that had been kept alive through electrical impulses and thick, viscous fluids were suddenly electrocuted within their tanks. Computer systems throughout the building broke down and the monitor in what had once been Donnie's room blew, belching smoke and glass. Communications systems and alarm systems failed, the sophisticated weaponry fizzed with too much power for scant seconds before overloading, irrevocably destroyed.

The Sword of Tengu shattered.

And on the front of the skyscraper, the illuminated sign of the Foot went dark.

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

Leonardo scaled out of the building down the same rope that Mikey had used, rescued from Donnie's bag. He had been expecting a mess. A fall of thirty storeys wasn't going to be cushioned by a shell, no matter how tough. And Splinter didn't even have that meagre protection. He expected to find Mikey, crying perhaps or raging against Karai.

The scene he found was quite different.

There was a single prone figure on the helipad – a turtle. But it wasn't Raph. It was Mikey. There was a dart lodged into the skin of his neck, one that Leo recognised. Karai had always been damn good with a blow dart and these were just the kind she would have used. Leo reached a shaking hand out to test his brothers pulse and exhaled loudly when he realised Mikey was just unconscious. Not poisoned then, merely incapacitated. Of course, if Karai had been carrying any poison, that would probably not have been the case. But he found it hard to be grateful for the small mercy.

_So where are Raph and Splinter?_

There was no sign of them, no bodies, nothing. Well... not quite nothing. There was blood on the floor. Not as much as he might have expected, but some. Raph's? Splinter's?

_Where are they?_

As the lights darkened, he realised that Donnie had done his work and that the Foot would be aware immediately that something had gone wrong and would be bursting in to the Shredder's personal rooms any time. They had to get out.

It took a minute or so before Donnie's silhouette appeared at the window and Leo watched as his brother made his way down the rope, slowly, obviously in some pain. Leo had to bite back the urge to tell him to hurry up. They needed to leave. Now.

_We can't leave without Raph and Splinter..._

He shoved the thought away. They had no choice. He had no idea where they had gone, where they could be.

Donnie took in the scene as he cautiously jumped the last couple of feet from the rope and winced. "What happened?"

"This is how I found things. Mikey's out and Raph and Splinter are – gone."

Donatello narrowed his eyes. "Karai."

"I don't know," said Leo, hating the helpless feeling he had. "I just _don't know_."

Donnie pointed to empty air. "There was a copter here. I saw it when Raph – when he went after Splinter. It's gone now. She must have got down here somehow and taken them."

"But _why_?" Leo clenched his fists in frustration. "Does that mean that they're alive?"

"I hope so," said Donnie quietly. "And if they are, they've a better chance of survival with Karai. But she's not taken them out of the goodness of her heart. You just killed the Shredder. If they are alive, she took them to hurt us. And... I hate to say it, but they may not have been. She might have taken them to mess with our heads."

The sound of sirens from the street interrupted them. The power surge had garnered some attention it seemed. Which might just give them the distraction they needed to make good their escape.

Leonardo carried the unconscious Michelangelo and Donatello followed. As he did, his foot kicked something and he glanced down. His bo staff, snapped about a quarter of the way up. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands. Raph had taken it to try to save Splinter. Don shoved the broken staff into his belt, touching the sun and moon dagger he also carried lightly. Was Raph alive? It seemed so unlikely and yet... he wasn't here.

They made their way out using the vents they had used to enter, remaining undetected. Maybe the police presence had given the Foot something to worry about. Or the loss of their Master. Neither Leo nor Don cared, both too damn tired and heart sick to worry what would happen should they run afoul of the Foot again. But they knew the building well and managed to leave unseen by their enemies or the police.

Before they went back into the sewer, Leo turned and took a last look at the darkened skyscraper. It had lost none of the brooding menace that he had come to associate with the building, but now it seemed even more sinister, now that his brother was missing, perhaps dead. He heard the faint sounds of Donnie opening the manhole, felt the weight of Mikey across his shoulders. Those things were real. The events of this night were no bad dream, no matter what he wanted to believe.

_I swear you'll pay for what you've done Karai,_ he thought as he stared up at the skyscraper. _On my honour, if it's the last thing I do, I'll find you if I have to go to the ends of the earth to do it, I'll find you and I'll make you suffer. If Raphael's dead, if Splinter's dead, I'll make you wish you'd never lifted that sword against them. And if they're not and you do anything to them, you'll regret it. I swear it, on my honour as a ninja._

And then Donnie was speaking to him and Leo turned away from the Foot headquarters to go home.


	14. Epilogue

**Author Note: **And here it is, the epilogue. Hope you have enjoyed reading this tale and thank you for being understanding of my occasionally infrequent updating! Also, thanks to everyone who left their reviews and let me know how they felt abou the fic, both here and on SS. There may well be a sequel to this tale too (I never intended for it to become a series, it just seems to have turned out that way!) but won't be up until about Christmas. Enjoy!

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

Leonardo and Donatello were almost back at the lair when Michelangelo awoke. He stirred groggily and Leo set him on his feet, supporting him until he came to fully.

"Ug..." Mikey rubbed his eyes and tried to regain his bearings. "What the hell happened?"

"Sleep dart," said Leo in what he hoped was a calming voice. "Karai got the drop on you somehow."

"Karai..." Mikey opened his eyes wide and whipped his head around wildly, seeing Donnie on one side but missing someone else. "Where's Raph? And Splinter?"

Leo lowered his head. "We don't know. When we got to the helipad, you were the only one there. Did you see them before you got knocked out?"

"I – no, I don't think so. I didn't even get to the bottom of the rope. I was nearly there, then nothing." Mikey stopped leaning on Leo and scowled. "Didn't you try looking for them?"

"We were in no shape to fight any of the Foot," pointed out Donnie. "And there were police everywhere. The copter was gone. Seems like Karai took them in the copter."

"She took them?"

"We think so."

"So they were alive?"

"Um..." Don shrugged helplessly. "There's no way we can know that."

Mikey clenched his fists. "That bitch. That evil fucking _bitch_!"

Leo rested a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find them Mikey."

Mikey turned to give Leo a contemptuous look. "How?"

Leo shook his head. He had no answer.

Mikey stalked on ahead, entering the lair before the other turtles. Leo and Don exchanged glances before following.

April was on her feet the moment Mikey entered, racing across the lair to him. "What happened?We lost contact, you didn't get back in touch – we were afraid."

Mikey ignored her, going directly to his own room and shutting himself off from the rest of the lair.

Donnie and Leo entered the lair and April turned to them, a frown creasing her face. Casey hovered in the background, looking unusually worried. "What's happening? What – wait. Where's Raph and Splinter?"

Donnie shook his head. "We don't know."

Leo left Don to explain, walking away from the humans and further into the lair, deep in thought. Raph was gone. Splinter was gone. And he had no idea where, no way to track them down. He didn't even know if they were alive or dead.

He had failed.

Again.

They had defeated the Shredder, but it was a pyrrhic victory. Hollow. Leo had anticipated the five of them finally free of the Shredder's tyranny. Instead, they had lost their brother. Not to mention the rat who had given up everything for them, perhaps even ultimately his life, who had united them as a family.

United?

Mikey had shut himself away from them. Again. It was as if the time at the farmhouse hadn't happened, like Mikey had been when they had first left the Foot. Maybe all he needed was time to recover, come to terms with what had had happened.

But Leo had seen the look in his eyes. He didn't think so.

And he couldn't speak to Donnie. He could see the grief that the turtle was feeling and couldn't help feeling responsible. Like it was all his fault. He had led them to the skyscraper, conceived the entire plan. It was because of him that they had needed revenge in the first place, because the Foot had injured him, beaten him nearly half to death.

It had taken Mikey's imprisonment at the hands of the Shredder to force his brothers to trust him. They'd had no choice.

Obviously, they had been wrong to do so.

Leo's shoulders sagged and he put his head in his hands. He had let this happen. It was all his fault. He hadn't been able to protect his brother and because of that, he had no idea if he was even alive.

_I swear to you Raph, I'll make Karai pay for what she's done_, he thought to himself.

He was going to spend every moment he had from now on searching for her. He would find Raphael and Splinter, no matter _what_ it took. And protect the rest of his family, no matter what. He would not fail again. He _couldn't_.

And he would exact revenge for them on Karai.

_If it's the last thing I do, you WILL pay._


End file.
